


The New Beginning

by ChrysCare



Series: The AllSpark Series [3]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2014-11-05
Packaged: 2018-02-19 23:51:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 21,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2407463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChrysCare/pseuds/ChrysCare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>New mechs, and a lot more questions raised when a new ice cold mech joins the Autobots.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Prowl stands in the middle of the blizzard, ice blue optics shimmering slightly as he looks around. It was starting all over again. His chosen one wanted nothing to do with him. He was always turning them away. Before, it was his own fault. He watched how his chosen acted toward others and created a personality that he wanted. This time, this time was Primus’ doing. Payback for introducing the cube into the Well. He replaced Vector Sigma with the cube. He brought this torment on himself. 

“Allspark?” the quiet whisper of Thundercracker catches his attention. He turns to see the blue seeker trembling in the cold. 

“You shouldn’t be out here,” Prowl says, cold expression masking the pain. 

“You shouldn’t either,” Thundercracker says and holds out his servo for the black and white mech. Prowl glares at the servo and Thundercracker slowly takes it back. “Okay, well, there’s an empty set of quarters for you. They were supposed to be for Starscream but he moved into the med-bay’s quarters with Ratchet.”

Prowl nods and follows the small blue seeker to the hanger. 

“Just tell me if you need anything,” Thundercracker smiles. “I’ll go tell the others you’re here.”

“Thundercracker,” Prowl sighs.

“Yeah,” Thundercracker perks up.

“Do not treat me any different than any other mechs. Forget about me being the Allspark.”

“But you are like Primus to us,” Thundercracker pouts. 

“I said leave me alone!” Prowl yells, the blue seeker flinches away. “Look, tell Starscream it happened again. He will explain. Now leave.”

Thundercracker nods, walking away as Prowl sighs. The door closes and Prowl faces the quiet. Just like last time, he was left alone, cold and unwanted. But this time, there was nowhere else to go. Primus had him now. He was bound to live like a Cybertronian. At least his guard unit was happy. That was all that mattered. He could live with everyone else being happy around him. 

“Jazz will be happy,” Prowl pushes off the door, walking into the berthroom and crawling on the soft pad. “He will be happy and have lots of sparklings . . . just . . . without me.”

Prowl curls up in the center, servos over his spark chamber. Where there should be the sound of a spark pulsing, there is none. Recharge starts and he is pulled into the ever repeating torment.

“You have served me well,” the gold and silver god of light says. “You have changed the Cybertronians into creating their own. I just have one more thing for you.”

“Anything to make it up to you,” Allspark follows Primus into a chamber filled with sparks. 

“You may choose the spark that is most like you,” Primus smiles.

“I can have my own spark?” Allspark looks up to the god. 

“You may also choose the body you like most,” Primus slides his servos over Allspark’s shoulders. “Do you have a name in mind?”

“I want to be called Prowl,” Allspark smiles and walks through the sparks. He finds a calm, older spark that stays to itself and doesn’t try to get picked. “I’ll take that one.”

Primus gently cups the gold spark. Allspark starts looking over the variety of Praxian frames. He finds a black and white frame, the red chevron gleams in the light, the gold center sparkles.

“I want this one,” Allspark smiles as Primus walks over with the spark.

“Lay inside the frame as I place the spark in,” Primus smiles as he opens the spark chamber. Allspark jumps up to the frame and lies in it. Primus holds the gold spark over the frame. A smirk forms on Primus’ face before he crushes the spark over the frame. Gold fragments shatter and absorb into the frame. Allspark screams out as his entire being is cemented into the frame. “You have doomed me to this forsaken planet. I repayed the favor by merging your energy, the spark and your frame together. You will forever be trapped in that frame. You will feel how I feel.”

“Why?” Prowl looks up, ice blue optics bright.

“Your cube took my creations away,” Primus pins the mech to the berth. “Those gold sparks are created from Vector Sigma which you destroyed when you sent the cube down. Now the mechs created by your cube have blue sparks.”

“I didn’t—“

“You did this to yourself, you will never get what you want,” Primus says and everything goes black.

 

Thundercracker shivers in the blizzard as he walks to the med-bay. Starscream and Skywarp stand by the berths, waiting for him.

“You’ve spoken with Allspark?” Starscream drapes the thermal blanket over the small seeker.

“He said to tell you it happened again,” Thundercracker looks up. “What does that mean?”

“Before you were created, Allspark fell in love with an inhabitant on a planet we landed on. His name was Dawnblade, when Allspark was still just energy, able to create temporary solid forms, they were close. Nothing serious yet, just staying near one another most of the time. Allspark decided he would give up his abilities, to be like this being. Of course, I told him to make sure he could revert back if necessary. The year finished, Allspark emerged from his secluded room to find out Dawnblade had taken another lover within that year. Allspark confronted Dawnblade who accused Allspark of disappearing and doing other things while he waited. Allspark tried to explain but Dawnblade’s lover interrupted to tell him that they were expecting. Allspark destroyed his body in front of them, we left shortly afterward.”

“Will he do it again? Destroy his body and leave? You can’t leave Ratchet.”

“He will not, he knows I would not leave Ratchet,” Starscream sighs. “He may confront Jazz.”

“Jazz hasn’t taken a new lover!” Skywarp says. “I tried and he brushed me off. He’s waiting for Allspark.”

“He apparently knows something we do not.”


	2. Frozen Spark

Prowl sits at his desk, the data-pads are piled up against it. He goes through each and every one, with each report he reads the pain becomes less and less. Unlike other mechs, the pain is all over his frame instead of just the spark chamber. Soon, he doesn’t feel anything from the shards of the spark within his frame, all he feels is the need to get the work done. 

“I have more reports for you,” Jazz says as he carries in a metal box.

“Set them on the floor,” Prowl replies without looking up.

“Would it hurt you to be more caring? Seriously, you act like a sparkless drone. Maybe you are one.”

“Are you finished?” Prowl asks, still reading the report. Jazz stomps out of the room. Prowl lets out a sigh, the pain starts creeping back into his frame. “I can’t do this. I can’t.”

Prowl starts to stand; something pushes him back into his chair. He looks around surprised, light shimmers in front of him.

“You will learn what it feels like to have something ripped from you that you care about. My Creations, my Cybertronians looked to me as their creator, their god. You stole that from me. I will take what you treasure most. That mech you saved will never be yours.”

“Why? Why torment me? I did not purposefully mean to—“

“Jazz is my creation, not one of yours. His life is in my servos.”

“Don’t hurt him to get back at me!” Prowl yells, an ice spike forms in his servo, conjuring energy into a weapon. He lunges at the light, ice spike buried in the chest. The light shimmers and Jazz looks up at him, silver optics shimmering. “No!”

Prowl backs away as the ice spike melts. His doorwings tremble as laughter fills the office. He backs to his desk as Jazz’s form dissolves into nothing. 

“Nothing you can do will save him,” Primus laughs and the light dissolves, leaving Prowl alone in his office. He sinks down in his chair. All the hard work, all the pain of leaving Jazz was for nothing. He should have stayed as the energy. He jumps when someone touches his knees. Starscream kneels in front of him. 

“What are you doing here?” Prowl asks.

“Jazz fell unconscious,” Starscream frowns. “He’s fine though, I thought you did something—“

“Just kill him,” Prowl shoves Starscream away and walks to the wall. 

“You chose him,” Starscream follows Prowl. 

“I will never find happiness,” Prowl looks up at the seeker. “Their god has punished me for taking his Cybertronians. He has Jazz. I will never.”

“Jazz hasn’t bonded,” Starscream lifts Prowl’s chin up. “As long as he is not bonded, you have a chance.”

“I can’t tell him who I am!” Prowl stomps his pede. “If I do, Primus will kill him.”

“Then don’t, let him figure it out on his own,” Starscream rubs his servos over Prowl’s shoulders. “He’s a smart mech. He’ll make the right decision.”

“He promised he would love me,” Prowl turns around, away from the seeker. “Just like Dawnblade.”

“Dawnblade was a fool,” Starscream pulls Prowl into a hug. “Jazz still loves Sky Creature. He wants me to tell him stories of you.”

“But I am right here,” Prowl pouts up at the seeker. “I can tell him my own stories. I know them better than anyone.”

“He also believes Smokescreen is Sky Creature,” Starscream frowns. 

“Why did Smokescreen come?”

“The mechs that have the glyphs of the cube also have your energy signature imbedded in their own. They are allsparks. Failed ones but they are the same.”

“Primus tried to copy me?” Prowl looks up at the seeker. 

“He failed miserably,” Starscream snorts. “They are the only ones who have the ability to carry.”

“I helped him, he . . .” Prowl says. “I played right into his servo. I shouldn’t have changed them. He has something planned. Why did we go to Cybertron?”

“It seemed like a peaceful place,” Starscream rubs Prowl’s wings. “I have an appointment with Jazz.”

“Will you make it seem more obvious that Smokescreen isn’t me?”

“I will try my best,” Starscream smiles, Prowl nods and watches the seeker walk away.

“I quite like Jazz and Smokescreen,” the gold and silver god sits on his desk. 

“Go away,” Prowl frowns. 

“This is the most entertainment I have had in eons. I’m having too much fun.”

“Well, one’s definition of fun is quite different than another’s.”

“I am not controlling your actions any more, you are your own mech,” Primus smiles. “You can lead your own little, peaceful life as long as you release your hold on Jazz.”

“My hold?”

“When you zapped him with the blue energy, you changed his CNA. He’s no longer all mine. As you were told, he fell unconscious. I tried to take him back.”

“So you cannot really make everything go your way,” Prowl smiles and walks up to the other god. “Tell me this, why did you create my Cybertronian body with such a capable battle computer if you could not control it.”

“Slight of mind,” Primus waves off. “You will pay.”

“I have heard of stories where you are in a battle with another god named Unicron. Are you capable of fighting two wars at the same time?”

“Unicron is not a problem now,” Primus’ lip twitches under Prowl’s ice cold stare. 

“But he could be if he was awaken,” Prowl smirks. “You may control light and he may control darkness but I, I control the energy. I can create, manipulate and . . . take energy from something. Whatever you are planning, I will counter. I will have my Jazz in the end.”

“You’re just a mech,” Primus smiles.


	3. Sky Creature's Adventure

Starscream sits in Jazz’s office, waiting for the silver mech. He frowns when Smokescreen comes in with him. 

“Why is he here?” Starscream glares at the Praxian. 

“I wanted him to hear the story,” Jazz smiles. 

“No.”

“What?”

“I will not tell him the stories.”

“But . . .”

“The stories are just for you,” Starscream crosses his arms. “He leaves or I do.”

“Look, it’s okay Jazz, I’ll be in the rec room,” Smokescreen hugs Jazz before leaving. 

“So you’re on a hugging basis now,” Starscream sneers. 

“What is your problem with Smokescreen? You were all buddy, buddy with him to begin with.”

“He’s Praxian,” Starscream shakes his helm. “He’s related.”

“That’s all you have to say about him?”

“Look, Sky Creature has ordered us to not treat him any differently,” Starscream says. “He wants to be treated like a normal mech. We won’t treat him any different from another mech, even when telling his stories. They are just for you. He chose you. Not another mech.”

“Fine,” Jazz sits in his chair. “What’s first?”

“His first adventure,” Starscream smiles. “First, I should tell you, though he is eons old, he acts like a youngling at times. This was one of the times. His guard unit agreed to let him explore as long as three of his closest guards went with him. We all agreed to let him lead us. We didn’t expect how fast he was. He was faster than I was and you know I am the fastest Seeker ever. He went so fast that we lost him a couple of times. Once we caught up to him, he was always playing with small creatures. One planet, he would pick them up and let them fall only to catch them again. It was like an amusement ride for the creatures. 

“Another planet, we would find him dancing with the plants. But one time, we didn’t find him on any planet. We followed his trail to a black hole filled system. He was caught in the pull of one. It took all our strength to pull him to safety. After that he stayed within our limits, playing amusement ride and dancing.”

“Does he still like dancing?” Jazz asks.

“Very much so,” Starscream smiles. “Though lately he hasn’t had a qualified partner.”

“I should get together with Blaster and set up a party,” Jazz smiles. “I bet he would like that. Music and dancing.”

“Will everyone be invited to your party?” Starscream asks.

“I guess I could invite Prowl. He would probably just leave at the start of it.”

“You never know about a mech until you get to know him,” Starscream says. “You might actually like him.”

“Yeah right,” Jazz laughs. “That mech probably doesn’t know what emotions are.”

 

Prowl finishes the data-pads and carries them to the Prime’s office before heading to his quarters. The door slides shut, silence greets him.

“You are boring,” Primus appears on the couch.

“You made it that way,” Prowl says.

“I want some drama,” Primus flips over the back of the couch in Prowl’s path.

“I think Unicron is knocking,” Prowl smirks as the god disappears. A knock at the door causes Prowl to jump. He opens it to no one there, starting to close it, he notices the data-pad on the ground. He onlines it: Blaster and I are planning a party tomorrow. You’re invited. If you don’t want to come, I understand.

Prowl stares at the data-pad, Jazz invited him to a party. Maybe he had a chance with Jazz. Why would Jazz invite him to a party if he didn’t like him.

“Peachy!” Wheeljack yells, Prowl watches the inventor run up to the black mech. “You didn’t let me finish.”

“You blew up my favorite cannon!” Ironhide yells. “And my name isn’t Peachy!”

“Peachy?” Optimus Prime walks out of the hanger near them. “Is there a problem? Peachy?”

“You all are going to online with something missing,” Ironhide grumbles and turns to the Prime. “Yours might be a bit more sensitive.”

Optimus Prime laughs as Ironhide stomps away.

“Was it something I said?” Wheeljack looks up at the Prime.

“No, he’s just a little ill tempered.”

“He keeps telling me his name is not Peachy? Is it?”

Optimus Prime smiles and pats Wheeljack on the shoulder. “Yes, yes it is.”

Prowl barely smiles and holds the data-pad closer. Maybe, just maybe things would get better.


	4. Party Day

Jazz looks around the rec room for Smokescreen. He spots the white, red and blue mech by the door and walks up to him.

So do you like it?” Jazz asks.

“It’s a little loud,” Smokescreen frowns. “I might leave in a little bit.”

“Oh,” Jazz frowns as he looks around the room. “Do you want to dance?”

“I’m not really in the mood,” Smokescreen says, “My doorwings are starting to hurt.” 

“I can have Blaster turn the music down,” Jazz glances at Blaster.

“No, Skywarp hit my doorwings pretty hard in training. I’m just going to recharge. Have fun at your party.”

“Yeah,” Jazz nods and walks back to the booth. The black and white Praxian sits at the booth with a half cube of high-grade.

“Why are you here?”

“You invited me,” Prowl hides his frown with his cube.

“Starscream made me,” Jazz glances over his shoulder at the seeker.

“I see,” Prowl stands with the cube in his servo. “I will leave then.”

“Ya don’t have to, I’m not forcing you to,” Jazz looks up at the Praxian. Something is different about him, something Jazz knew before.

“You clearly do not want me here.”

“Do you want to dance?” Jazz asks and grabs Prowl’s servo.

“I . . .” Prowl starts but looks down.

“I’ll teach you,” Jazz smiles and puts Prowl’s servos on his shoulders. Prowl looks down at the silver mech, small smile coming to his face. Jazz smiles up at him. “You’re a fast learner.”

‘You’re a good teacher,” Prowl leans closer, someone taps on his shoulder. The gold and silver god glares at him. “I need to leave. I’m sorry.”

Jazz frowns when Prowl pulls away and watches the mech walk out of the room.

“Huh,” Jazz rubs his helm and sits at the booth.

 

Jazz walks into Prowl’s office the next day to see the black and white Praxian reading over reports.

“So . . . about yesterday,” Jazz sits on the edge of the desk.

“Remove yourself from my desk,” Prowl frowns and continues reading.

“What happened to ya mech?” Jazz jumps off the desk.

“I have no idea what you mean.”

“At the party, you were nice, now you’re an aft,” Jazz crosses his arms.

“I have work to do,” Prowl glares up at the mech.

“Fine,” Jazz stomps out of the office. Primus appears on the desk.

“Remove yourself from my desk,” Prowl glares at the god.

“Not a very good pick up line. It seemed like Jazz was flirting with you.”

“You and I both know, you will not let Jazz be mine.”

“Do you have x-ray vision?” Primus grabs Prowl’s helm and looks in his optics.

“Do you have anyone else to annoy?” Prowl pulls his helm away from Primus.

“Nope, you have all of my attention.”

“Yay for me.”


	5. Repercussion

Prowl walks into his quarters to find the god sitting on the couch.

“You are a boring mech,” Primus sighs.

“You have stated that before,” Prowl sets the data-pads on the table.

“You know, since you tried to make a move on Jazz without my permission, I need to punish you.”

“Haven’t you done enough?”

“You need to learn that Jazz is not yours to touch,” Primus says.

“You’re not my creator, I can do whatever I want,” Prowl says.

“That spark you picked out, it was my creation,” Primus smiles. “Jazz is my creation.”

“You’ve punished him enough, let him be happy,” Prowl glares at the god. Primus grabs Prowl by the neck. Ice blue optics never lose their magnitude.

“He will bond to Smokescreen and he will be happy,” Primus glares at the mech.

“You cannot force him to bond,” Prowl smirks.

“I can make him fall in love with the Praxian. Won’t be hard since he likes him already and he doesn’t like you.”

“He likes me,” Prowl frowns. “He just doesn’t know it’s me.”

“Right,” Primus nods and pats Prowl’s cheek. “You keep telling yourself that. Oh and on your punishment.”

Primus pats the top of Prowl’s helm.

“I’m going to visit Jazzy now, bye, bye,” Primus waves, Prowl’s optics brighten before he collapses on the ground. “Happy glitching.”

Primus laughs as he walks out of the quarters.

 

Jazz onlines slowly, something connects with his helm.

“Sky?” Jazz rubs his helm.

“Sorry,” Primus smirks. “Do you want to remember who I told you I am?”

Jazz nods slowly.

 

Prowl onlines on the floor with a processor ache. He groans as he sits up and looks around the room.

“What was that?” Prowl rubs his helm and slowly stands. 

“That is called a glitch,” Primus smiles from his seat on the table. “And Jazz remembers Sky Creature.”

“What did you do?” Prowl glares at the smiling god. 

“I simply gave him his memories back, all but one,” Primus smiles from the table. “The one where you said you were complete opposite. That one had to go. I thought you would be happy.”

“What did you add?” Prowl lunges for the god but goes right through.

“Just a subtle hint that Sky Creature might be Smokescreen.”

“I think it’s time for Unicron to knock on your door,” Prowl glares at the god.

“Purple elephants,” Primus smiles over his shoulder. Prowl frowns as the god disappears, something clicks in his processor and he slumps on the ground.

 

“Allspark, Allspark, online, come on,” Prowl hears Starscream say and his whole body shakes.

“Star?” Prowl mumbles.

“Come on, Prowl, online,” Starscream sets the Praxian up.

“Primus did this,” Prowl frowns as he leans against Starscream. “I am never going to get Jazz.”

“How do you know?”

“Primus told him who Sky Creature is.”

“So he knows it’s you.”

“No, he told him that Sky Creature was Smokescreen,” Prowl’s vents hitch and he tightens his hold on Starscream. 

“You have to try harder,” Starscream pets Prowl’s helm.

“I can’t try any harder,” Prowl looks up at the seeker. “My emotional cortex shuts down around him. I don’t even know love . . .”

“Well, we just have to teach you.”

“How?”

“You taught me how to stay on the ground,” Starscream smiles. “I never once wanted to touch the ground. You taught me it was all right. I can teach you how to love. You taught the Cybertronians. You obviously know it.”

“That was under Primus’ control,” Prowl frowns and gasps when Starscream grabs his helm. His optics brighten when the seeker kisses him. Starscream looks down at the Praxian.

“What did you feel?”

“Shock and my processor hurts,” Prowl continues to stare at the seeker. Starscream sighs and pins Prowl to the floor.

“Now?”

“Wings crushing,” Prowl gasps as his sensory net lights up in pain.

“Come with me,”’ Starscream frowns.

“It will not work.”

“Trust me.”


	6. Check up of a lifetime

“Why are we going to the med-bay?” Prowl asks as Starscream leads him to the med-bay.

“Just wait and see,” Starscream pulls Prowl in the building. Ratchet looks up from his cube of Energon.

“You skipped Energon to bring Prowl here?” Ratchet asks.

“You should already know who this is, he’s the Allspark,” Starscream says. “I need you to check him. Check everything. Tip of his chevron to the floor.”

“Anything I’m looking for in particular?” Ratchet asks.

“Just a thorough check.”

Ratchet nods as Prowl lies on the berth. He looks over at Starscream, optics focus on the gold and silver mech behind him. Starscream glances over his shoulder and frowns at Prowl. 

“I need to put you in stasis,” Ratchet says.

“I do not go into stasis,” Prowl says.

“You can check him without it.”

“I have never needed a medic before,” Prowl frowns.

“I will be sorting through your programs, systems and coding,” Ratchet says. 

“Will I see what you are doing?” Prowl looks up at the medic. Ratchet looks at the seeker.

“He was only a physical being once and he terminated it after a human hour.”

“You will see everything, I will explain as I go.”

 

Ratchet glances up as he works on sifting through Prowl’s coding. Starscream recharges on the med-berth on the other side of Prowl.

 

The sun starts shining through the window as Ratchet pulls out of Prowl’s systems. Starscream sits up and stretches.

“I miss watching you online,” Prowl looks over at Starscream.

“You never mentioned you two were together,” Ratchet frowns.

“Oh, no, nothing like that,” Starscream smiles. “Personal guards, which I am, normally stayed in the same room. Since he didn’t want a room, he stayed in mine.”

“I liked watching the seekers recharge,” Prowl smiles. “Their wings twitched when I touched them.”

“So what did you find?” Starscream asks. Ratchet pulls a monitor over and uploads the data. 

“He has a corroded coil in his processor, right here. It connects the battle computer to the logic centers. That’s the first thing. The second, there are thirty two unnecessary programs in your core processor and ten in your second, there are an additional five in your tertiary processor. I have quarantined them so that I can explain each one without them becoming active. Third, there is a tracking system running in your secondary processor. I have quarantined that as well. Your main systems and programs are clean. Fourth, you have what appears to be a second battle computer. It does not respond to any stimuli at all. Upon further investigation, I discovered it holds a virus that has been influencing you.”

“I have a virus?” Prowl asks. “Is that bad?”

“How did he get a virus?” Starscream asks.

“Each virus has a stamp of who created it,” Ratchet looks at the two mechs. “Please explain to me why it says Primus.”

“I kind of sort of got on your god’s bad side when I sent the cube down,” Prowl winces.

“What is the virus doing?”

“It is blocking data flow from his processors,” Ratchet frowns.

“That is why I cannot tell Jazz who I am.”

“Jazz . . .” Ratchet stares at the mech. A memory replays in his processor, the data from Starscream’s image of the Allspark mech overlays on it. “You . . . you stole the Energon tank.”

“I needed it,” Prowl puffs out his armor. He looks down surprised by the action. He starts poking the extended armor.

“One of his youngling moods,” Starscream waves it off. “Back to the virus. Can you get rid of it?”

“It’s tagged by his emotional cortex.”

“I have to lose my emotions to be free of it?” Prowl sighs. “Go ahead and remove it.”

“You want me to remove your emotional cortex?”

“Jazz hates me anyway,” Prowl frowns. “This way I do not have to feel sad.”

“I can install a new cortex.”

“I . . . Jazz means everything to me,” Prowl wrings his servos on his lap. “Primus has ruined my chances of ever being with him.”

“No god can force a mech to love someone,” Ratchet frowns.

“You were not a follower of Primus?”

“Pit no, politicians make up their own gods,” Ratchet snorts.

“Good thing he bonded to your seeker,” the gold and silver mech says as his servos pass through the medic’s neck.

“Primus wants to kill you,” Prowl winces with a finger pointed to the gold and silver mech. 

“You see Primus?” Ratchet asks. Prowl nods and reaches a white servo out to the god. Starscream and Ratchet gasp when the gold and silver mech appears in front of them.

“What did you do!” Primus screams as he looks at his servos. He lunges for Prowl; Ratchet grabs the small mech by the shoulders and sets him on the berth. He wirelessly magnetizes it and Primus squirms, aft firmly in place on the berth. 

“You do not threaten my patients in my med-bay,” Ratchet waves a wrench in front of the god’s face. Primus’s optics follow the shining metal. He nods frantically. “Now does Unicron want to join the party?”

“I’m good, entertainment just fine from over here,” the bronze and gray mech smiles from the berth behind Starscream. “I’m actually for the black and white kid.”

Prowl sticks out his glossa at Primus before smiling back at Unicron. 

“Why do I have a bunch of gods acting like younglings in my med-bay!” Ratchet shouts. 

“We age differently,” Prowl smiles.

“Just great,” Ratchet sighs and points to the squirming god with his wrench. “You delete the virus you planted in him and reverse whatever you did to Jazz. The poor mech’s been through the Pit.”

“The Pit actually has Energon goodies,” Unicron smiles. Ratchet’s optics lose focus and the medic falls to the ground. Prowl frowns as the medic falls. 

“Is my check-up done?” Prowl looks up at the seeker.

“I think I’ll follow,” Starscream squeaks and falls back on the berth. 

“So . . . you want to play with the laser scalpels?” Unicron smirks. 

“I call markers!” Prowl yells. 

“I call get me off this berth!” Primus yells.

“Nah,” Unicron and Prowl smile at one another.


	7. Playtime's over

Prowl smiles as he looks at his master piece. Unicron smirks at the brown, blue and hot pink mech.

“My processor,” Ratchet grumbles. He sees Prowl perched on the med-berth with a marker in servo. “What in Primus’ name did you do?”

“He colored me!” Primus screams. Unicron laughs so hard he tumbles off the med-berth backwards. 

“Owe,” Unicron snorts between laughs. Unicron feels something leaking down his helm. He stops laughing enough to reach up and touch the liquid. He screams when blue Energon covers his servo. “Medic, do something! I’m leaking this blue stuff.”

“Your horn broke,” Ratchet glares at the fourteen foot mech. 

“Medic voodoo it back on!” Unicron screams. 

“Who’s screaming?” Starscream rubs his helm. 

“Unicron,” Prowl watches Ratchet pick the small mech up and set him on the berth beside him. Unicron sniffles as he cradles the piece of his horn. Prowl takes the horn out of Unicron’s servos and sticks it on the other’s helm. Ratchet turns around with the welder to see Unicron hugging Prowl. Prowl pats the smaller mech’s back. 

“Maybe you should be his twin, then I can hate you both,” Primus pouts. Ratchet hits him over the helm with a wrench. “Hey, I created you. You can’t do that.”

“You created me, experience my wrath,” Ratchet smirks. “See what you created.”

“Will you unstick me?” Primus pouts at the medic.

“If that cute, adorable pout is trying to make me have pity on you, you are mistaken,” Ratchet says. “I am immune to pouts.”

“You’re mean,” Primus crosses his arms. 

“You torment mechs,” Ratchet crosses his arms to mimic the small mech. 

“You take his side,” Primus glares at Prowl.

“He’s not trying to hurt mechs.”

“He hurt me,” Primus looks down at the floor. 

“How did he hurt you?”

“He took away my creations.”

“I bet he didn’t mean to.”

“He did.”

“How do you know?” Ratchet puts his servos on the mech’s knees. 

“He sent the cube down to take them away,” Primus pouts up at the medic.

“There must be another reason he sent the cube down.”

“He wanted my creations for himself.”

“I doubt that was the reason,” Ratchet cups the mech’s helm. “Perhaps you should ask him why he did it. He might be able to tell you.”

“He doesn’t like me,” Primus wrings his servos. “He won’t talk to me.”

“I bet if you ask him, he’ll talk to you. You have to be nice to have others be nice to you. Can you be nice?”

Primus nods and Ratchet unlocks the berth. He picks up Primus and sets him on the other side of Prowl. Prowl looks at the mech two feet shorter than him. 

“Why did you send the cube down?” Primus glances up at the black and white mech.

“My people were dying without bodies,” Prowl says. “I thought the cube could find out what it took to make frames like your people. I just wanted them to live. I didn’t mean to take yours away.”

“Oh,” Primus says and looks at his silver servos. “I’m sorry I made you do stuff. I’m sorry I made you hurt. I’m sorry I messed up Jazz. I’ll make it better.”

“He’ll remember me?”

“No,” Primus says. 

“Why not?” 

“I made a chip that recorded your encounter in everyone. When Ratchet bonded to your seeker he got the chip back. The others don’t. Jazz won’t until you bond to him.”

“Will he stop chasing Smokescreen?”

“He likes Smokescreen. He would have liked Smokescreen. I created them from the same spark.”

“Oh,” Prowl frowns. “They are meant to be together.”

Prowl slides off the berth and starts to walk to the door.

“Wait,” Primus jumps off the berth and grabs Prowl’s servo. 

“I made Wheeljack and Ratchet’s spark from the same one,” Primus looks up at the mech. “They aren’t bonded. Ratchet’s with your seeker.”

“I have a name,” Starscream glares at the god.

“Ratchet bonded to Starcream,” Primus says. Prowl laughs quietly.

“His name is Starscream,” Prowl looks back at the seeker. 

“Starscream,” Primus smiles. “So you have a chance.”

“You gave me a glitch,” Prowl frowns. “Emotions are illogical. I will glitch.”

“Oh,” Primus frowns. “I can’t change it. I’m sorry. I got rid of the virus though.”

Prowl takes his servos from Primus and walks out of the med-bay. Primus frowns where he stands. 

“I tried, didn’t I?” Primus pouts.

“Sometimes a mech can only try,” Ratchet says. 

“So, what are we going to tell the masses?” Unicron kicks his pedes on the berth. “I doubt they’ll enjoy hearing ‘I want you to meet Primus and Unicron. Your creator and the planet eater’.”

“We can always lock them in a cage,” Starscream smiles at Ratchet.

“I don’t want to be in a cage!” Primus whines. 

“Just stay out of sight,” Ratchet says. “And be nice. Both of you.”

“I am nice,” Unicron smiles. “Give me Energon goodies and I’m nice.”

“Starscream, go make Energon treats,” Ratchet points to the back of the med-bay.

“Me, why me?” Starscream asks. 

“Because you don’t want to meet my wrench,” Ratchet waves the wrench in the air. 

“Right, Primus, Unicron, come on,” Starscream leads the mechs into the back of the med-bay.


	8. Morning Star

Starscream sits outside in the cool, night air looking up at the starry sky. Ratchet walks out of the hanger and glances up at the seeker.

“What are you doing out here?”

“Waiting for the morning star,” Starscream grabs Ratchet’s servo as the medic climbs up the hanger. 

“Do you do this often?”

“Every time it comes.”

“What does it mean to you?”

“Morningstar was the designation of the mech I tried to bond to,” Starscream stares out over the horizon. “He said that if we ever got separated, he’d be the last star to fade.”

“You really cared about him,” Ratchet glances over at the seeker. A small hint of jealousy fills his spark.

“I was willing to follow. Forget about being a guard. Forget about Allspark. I was so close.”

“What kept you from it?”

“I met you,” Starscream smiles at the medic. “You were rushing to a call of some grounder about ready to jump from the bridge into the sea of rust. I heard every word because that mech was just a projection of me. I wanted to know if any one cared.”

“He would be proud you didn’t jump,” Ratchet pulls Starscream into a hug. Starscream lays his helm on the medic’s chest. They watch as the bright star rises before the Sun and watch it fade. “I can’t promise to be the morning star or anything like that . . . but I wouldn’t want you to follow me—“

“You don’t have to say a word,” Starscream glances up at the medic.

“But if I deac—“

“I mean you don’t have to say anything because you won’t,” Starscream sits up and turns toward the medic. “You’ll never deactivate. You may lose your body, you’ll turn into energy, but you will never deactivate.”

“If my spark—“

“Your spark is no longer the thing that keeps you online,” Starscream opens his spark chamber and pulls out the blue orb. Ratchet stares at the seeker with shock and disgust. “It is just energy. We are tied to the energy around us. You belong to Allspark now. The only way you truly deactivate is for him to dissipate your energy frequency. He’s only done it once.”

“Who?” Ratchet stares at the seeker’s spark. 

“One of my creators begged him to,” Starscream looks away. “The five faces tore my other creator apart, he wanted to join.”

“Peachy!” Wheeljack yells as he walks across the base. Starscream watches the mech walk into the rec room.

“Who is Peachy?” Starscream places his spark in his frame and closes his spark chamber.

“Ironhide,” Ratchet sighs.

“May we color him the color of a peach?” Starscream smirks at the medic. Ratchet stares at the seeker. 

“I have the exact shade,” Ratchet says. 

“Primus will keep him in recharge,” Starscream smiles. 

 

Optimus Prime onlines and looks over to his bondmate. He jumps away when the normally black mech isn’t there. He smirks and slowly gets off the berth. 

:Autobots,: Optimus Prime continues to smile as he excludes Ironhide and Wheeljack from the group comm. channel. :I would like to offer a contest to whoever wants to participate, whoever refers to Ironhide as Peachy the longest will get a year’s worth of vacation time.:

:Are you glitching?: Jazz asks.

:No,: Optimus Prime backs out of the hanger before he lets a chuckle escape. :A prank.:

:You, prank, what did Ironhide do?: Ratchet asks.

:Nothing.:


	9. He loves me, he loves me not

Prowl watches the silver mech bring Smokescreen the cube of Energon. He glances at his Energon cube, it was still full. Ratchet slides into the seat across from him. 

“If I understand correctly, you need that more than any of us,” Ratchet points to the cube.

“No,” Prowl says. “I do not need any fuel. Energy is all around us. My frame can convert it. Primus allowed me to design it.”

“So you’re going to waste it?” Ratchet sips his Energon. 

“I . . . I believe I should leave,” Prowl says. “I am not needed here. Starscream is a well enough tactician to help the Autobots.”

“Where would you go?”

“Back to my village,” Prowl sighs. “They need me.”

“We need you, Prowl,” Ratchet says. “If not for the tactician, I need you to keep tweedledee and tweddledum in line.”

“What?” Prowl asks, optics start dimming. 

“Earth culture,” Ratchet waves it off. “Stay with me. I have questions about the seekers.”

“What about them?” Prowl asks and takes a small sip of the Energon. 

“The humans have a custom of giving something to our loved one,” Ratchet looks at the pink liquid. “It’s past the day this year but next year . . . what does he like?”

“He likes flying,” Prowl frowns. 

“Well, I knew that,” Ratchet sighs. “I meant items, like Energon treats, paint . . . whatever.”

“We do not need paint,” Prowl says. “We have no need for sweets, in fact we cannot even taste it. We convert energy. We are beings of energy even in this form.”

“What is there that Starscream would want?”

“He obviously wants you,” Prowl hides his smile with the Energon cube. “He wanted Morningstar before but he kind of died.”

“Well, I’m still kicking,” Ratchet finishes his cube.

“That is enough for him, he is happy,” Prowl says. “He is content.”

“You speak like you know what he is feeling.”

“I do, as a personal guard of mine we must become of the same frequency,” Prowl says. “It is similar to your bonds now. Ours is purely of professionalism. He can feel if I am in trouble or I can feel if he is in trouble.”

“Can you feel when . . .”

Prowl smiles as he sips his Energon. “It feels quite good.”

Ratchet’s optics lose the blue tint to them as he stares at Prowl. 

“I quite enjoy it.”

“You . . . Starscream didn’t tell me that . . . does that mean the other seekers . . .”

“Possibly Skywarp,” Prowl smiles. “Thundercracker is a bit too young to be a personal guard yet.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Ratchet gasps. 

“I didn’t know it mattered,” Prowl frowns. “I’ve seen and felt you overload before.”

“What? When?”

“When I was Sky Creature, I introduced yours and the other’s systems to it,” Prowl says. “Ironhide called out Optimus and Optimus called out Ironhide.”

“Who did I call out?”

“You didn’t,” Prowl says. “You hadn’t met him yet.”

“So how do we get Jazz to notice you,” Ratchet looks over his shoulders, “so you stop eavesdropping on me and Starscream.”

“It’s not like I have a choice,” Prowl frowns. “Jazz wants nothing to do with me. Just like Dawnblade.”

“Dawnblade? Starscream said something about you having a chosen mate on another planet.”

“Yes,” Prowl glances at Jazz. “We landed on an organic planet. The seekers were tired of flying over the expanse of space. Comet decided to land and refuel. Since he was the leader of the seekers, I backed him—“

“The way Starscream talks, he is the leader of the seekers,” Ratchet frowns. 

“Oh, sorry, Comet was his name before, like mine was Allspark,” Prowl says. “He led us to the planet and after some time he actually landed. He was afraid of the ground at first; he would never touch it even for a second. The inhabitants met us shortly and took us to their city. We slowly took the form of these beings. Comet started working with the scientists to learning about the beings . . .”

 

Prowl sits in his office staring at the reports. The door chimes and he looks up. The white, red and blue Praxian walks in. 

“May I help you Smokescreen?” Prowl asks. 

“You’ve been here the longest right? I mean I know who you are and all. Starscream confirmed it. I was just wondering if you knew some things about a certain mech.”

“You mean Jazz?” Prowl sets down his data-pad. 

“Yeah,” Smokescreen slowly approaches Prowl’s desk. “I’m sorry I called you names when you arrived. I didn’t know who you were.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Is he seeing anyone? Is he close to anyone?”

Prowl stares at the Praxian, the other’s doorwings held high with a slight quiver in them.

“He is not,” Prowl smiles. “And for your next question, he likes dancing.”

“Thank you so much,” Smokescreen wraps his arms around Prowl in a hug. “You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to ask you. I thought you hated me. You never talk to me.”

“I don’t hate you,” Prowl rubs the Praxian’s back. 

“Thank you,” Smokescreen smiles and runs out the door. 

“Well, that was nice of you,” Primus pops out from under his desk. “I thought you wanted Jazz?”

“I taught them to love. Jazz should see where his spark wants to go. If it’s not happy with me then . . . then I don’t want to force him so that I will be happy.”

“You’re incredibly stupid.”

“You started it.”

“You’re keeping it going.”

“You made it that way.”

“You are a glitch,” Primus punches Prowl’s leg.

“You made the glitch.”

“You brought it on yourself.”

“You’re the god,” Prowl tries kicking the mech under his desk.

“You’re trying to kick me!”

“You’re in my personal space!”

“You’re going to get it when I tell Ratchet.”

“You go run home to mommy!” Prowl says and something clicks in his processor and blackness surrounds him. “Scrap.”

“You glitched yourself!” 

Silence.

“I always get the last word,” Primus smirks. :Ratchet!:


	10. Tweddledee and Tweddledum

Prowl onlines in the med-bay to someone screaming. 

“Help us!” Primus screams as Prowl sits up on the berth. 

“You shouldn’t have been playing with the controls,” Ratchet says. 

“How was I to know that the blasted thing would try to consume me?” Primus screams. “Help us!”

“If you ask nicely,” Ratchet smirks from the counter. 

“What?” Primus tries to look at the medic but his current position with his face against the berth won’t allow it.

“Mr. Ratchet sir medic, will you please release me?” Unicron pouts.

“The chaos bringer knows how to ask nicely, who knew,” Ratchet wirelessly shuts off the magnets to Unicron’s berth. 

“Thank you all mighty medic,” Unicron fails at tackling the medic at a hug and just holds on.

“Mr. Ratchet sir medic, will you please release me?” Primus pouts.

“Sorry kid,” Ratchet says.

“What!” Primus gasps. “Unicron got out.”

“Line’s already been used.”

“But!” Primus screams. “Let me go!”

“Be nice,” Prowl says.

“You weren’t nice when you stole my creations!”

“I said I’m sorry,” Prowl glares at the youngling. “I’m not the one who tried to steal away what made me me.”

“What?” Ratchet glances between Prowl and Primus.

“Blaster and Mirage and all the others are clones, he tried to create me,” Prowl says.

“Is this true?” Ratchet turns to glare at Primus.

“Kinda sorta maybe,” Primus shrinks into the berth.

“There is no kinda, sorta or maybe about it,” Ratchet pulls out his wrench.

“I did!” Primus screams as his gold optics focus on the wrench. “I’m sorry! I’ll do anything to make it up!”

“Give Jazz his memories back?” Prowl asks. “All of them?”

“I can’t,” Primus whimpers. “He knows Sky Creature. The black mech. Your tribe. He knows all that. He likes Smokescreen. Their sparks are the same. They’re drawn to one another.”

“Take out the virus you planted in Prowl,” Ratchet taps the wrench on his palm.

“I did!” Primus screams. “It made his glitch worse!”

“What glitch?”

“Illogical things,” Primus squeaks. 

“What I just painstakingly tried to fix?” Ratchet asks.

“Yes.”

“Do you have no consideration for others?”

“I’m a god!”

“I am too but I don’t create glitches I can’t destroy,” Prowl crosses his arms.

“You made someone have a glitch?” Ratchet asks. “Who?”

“Starscream, Skywarp and I were pranking him on his creation day.”

“Hey, back to me now!” Primus yells. “I gave you control over your frame. It’s yours.”

“Complete control?” Prowl asks.

“Yes,” Primus smiles, a genuine smile with no smirk. Prowl shutters his optics and focuses on feeling the energy around him. The gently pull and push of the ocean of energy surrounding everything. 

“Prowl!” Ratchet yells, Prowl onlines his optics to see Ratchet in front of him waving his servo through him. He smiles and backs away before becoming solid. Ratchet glances up at him.

“I’m fine,” Prowl smiles and releases the magnets. “Thank you.”

“Can we be friends?” Primus looks up at Prowl. “I like you.”

“He’s my friend,” Unicron puts his fists on his hips before tackling Primus.

“Tweedledee and Tweedledum,” Prowl nods.


	11. Kisses

Jazz knocks on the door to Smokescreen’s quarters and waits. The Praxian opens the door and smiles at the smaller mech. 

“Come in,” Smokescreen steps aside, Jazz walks in the quarters. “What are you doing here?”

“We’ve been friends for a while now, I was just thinking we could be more than friends,” Jazz glances up at the mech.

“Really” Smokescreen smiles. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Smokescreen hugs the smaller mech and presses a kiss to Jazz’s lips. Jazz freezes for a second before kissing back. It didn’t feel the same as he remembered. 

“Scrap, I just remembered I had a meeting,” Jazz smacks himself on the helm. “Completely forgot, rain check?”

“Sure,” Smokescreen smiles, Jazz nods and walks out. Grumbling as he stomps off to the med-bay. He walks in to see Starscream perched on the med-berth.

“Who are you waiting for?” Jazz asks.

“Ratchet,” Starscream says. “He’s in a meeting with Prime and the humans.”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“About Sky Creature?”

“Yeah.” Jazz fidgets and glances up at the seeker. “Does someone’s kisses change when they change?”

“Do you want me to kill you and find out?” Starscream stares at the silver mech.

“I’m serious,” Jazz stomps his pede.

“I am serious too,” Starscream stands from the berth and steps up to the small mech. “I’ll kiss you now and then I’ll kill you and kiss you again.”

“But then I wouldn’t be alive,” Jazz frowns as he looks up at the seeker. “And being dead isn’t fun.”

“Do you really think Allspark would let his chosen mate die?” Starscream puts his servos on his hips. “Even Dawnblade was saved from death. Pit, you know how many times I’ve died? I don’t even remember. He’s clingy and childish.”

“But you’re alive,” Jazz says.

“And what do I have to show for it? A god fearing, wrench wielding medic as a bondmate. Morningstar at least adored me. The only thing Ratchet adores is this forsaken building. So do you want to try?”

“Sure,” Jazz shrugs. Starscream places his servos on Jazz’s shoulders. Electricity trickles along the seeker’s backstrut. Jazz tilts his helm slightly as Starscream leans down. Spark pulses faster as the seeker kisses him, something that didn’t happen with Smokescreen. 

“I leave for an hour and you go kiss Jazz,” Ratchet stands in the doorway. 

“I am in the middle of killing him,” Starscream glances up at the medic.

“Just put him back together when you’re done. Optimus needs him.”

“I will,” Starscream smiles and glances down at Jazz, who’s optics are dimmed. The sound of a cannon powering up causes him to snap out of his daze. Just in time to see the seeker fly into the wall beside Ratchet.

“I thought you were killing him, not me,” Ratchet looks down at the seeker whose pedes are up in the air. 

 

Prowl freezes in the ICU room designated Primus' and Unicron’s room when he hears Jazz speaking. He moves to the hallway and peeks around the corner. 

“Can I ask you a question?” Jazz asks.

“About Sky Creature?”

“Yeah,” Prowl watches as Jazz wrings his servos. “Does someone’s kisses change when they change?”

“Do you want me to kill you and find out?” Starscream asks, Prowl frowns and focuses on changing his armor.

“But then I wouldn’t be alive. And being dead isn’t fun.”

“Do you really think Allspark would let his chosen mate die?”

Prowl onlines his optics and moves closer as Starscream puts his servos on Jazz’s shoulders. He trails his finger down Starscream’s backstrut as the seeker leans in.

“I leave for an hour and you go and kiss Jazz,” Ratchet says, Prowl calmly backs away from them. 

“I am in the middle of killing him.”

“Just put him back together when you’re done. Optimus needs him.”

‘I need him too,’ Prowl thinks. The sound of the cannon causes him to act without thinking; he pushes the seeker away from Jazz.

“I thought you were killing him, not me,” Ratchet says, Prowl cups Jazz’s face before leaning in and kissing him. 

“Sky?” Jazz mumbles as he tries to grab hold of the invisible mech. His servos pass through the air. 

“Is this what you see?” Ratchet asks as Starscream tries to get up from his position. 

“Yes,” Starscream moves one way and screams out. “I broke my backstrut.”

“Shouldn’t have kissed my Jazz,” Prowl smiles and wraps his arms around the silver mech.

“Guys, am I going crazy? Someone’s hugging me and I can’t see him!”

Prowl moves away from Jazz and backs away to the hallway.


	12. If you love someone

Prowl resumes his solid form as he backs into the ICU room. 

“Why did you blow your chance?” Primus asks.

“He’s happy with Smokescreen,” Prowl frowns. “Smokescreen should have his sparkmate.”

“But you want Jazz.”

“I also wanted Dawnblade, but he was happy elsewhere,” Prowl sits on the berth. “Perhaps the humans are right. If you love someone you must let them go.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,” Primus puts his servos on his hips. “I created them from the same spark because I wanted them to be like each other. I could care less if they actually bonded. You need to get him.”

“How? I don’t know the first thing about courting.”

“Who said anything about courting? Grab him and push him on the berth! Pin him against the wall! Something!”

“It’s for the best,” Prowl sighs. “I can’t be loved.”

“If you won’t, I will,” Primus runs out of the room and up to Jazz. Jazz goes on about his business listening to another story about Sky Creature. Primus moves to tackle the silver mech but goes right through. “Allspark!”

Primus stomps into the room and punches Prowl in the abdomen. 

“Stop meddling with my meddling!”

“You’ve made me realize something I could never see,” Prowl stands from the berth.

“No—“

“I am not meant to be a mech,” Prowl says and watches as his white servo starts to dissolve.

“No!” Primus grabs Prowl’s servo in both of his. “Do you think I gave up when my creations couldn’t see what the war was doing to Cybertron? Do you think Unicron stopped existing because no one liked him? Do you think Prime stopped believing in himself when the Allspark cubie thingie was shot off and it was the only way to produce sparklings? No. They didn’t. You can’t either. Just ‘cuz there’s bad don’t mean the good ain’t good.”

“Why are you talking strange?” Prowl looks down at the smaller mech.

“I downloaded the wrong dictionary and I’m too afraid to go to Ratchet to delete it,” Primus frowns. “You can’t give up. I like you. And I’m really sorry for what I did.”

“I still don’t want to be a mech,” Prowl takes his servo back and disappears. 

“It’s all your fault,” Primus says and plops down beside Unicron who munches on Energon treats. 

“My fault?” Unicron pushes Primus off the berth. 

 

Prowl sits in the rec room watching the mechs talk and laugh. They were so happy. He watches as Skywarp and Thundercracker play a game. Jazz and Smokescreen walk into the rec room laughing, Smokescreen grabs two Energon cubes. A sharp pain shoots over his frame as Smokescreen kisses Jazz. Prowl stands and starts to leave. 

“Prowl,” Smokescreen says and stands at the booth. “Why don’t you join us?”

“I have reports to do,” Prowl says. 

“Come on, you can sit with us, I’ll even help you later,” Smokescreen smiles and Prowl walks over to their booth. 

“When did you get all buddy buddy with Prowl?” Jazz frowns and glances between the Praxians. 

“Once you get to know him, he’s not bad,” Smokescreen smiles. “It was a mistake I’m glad I could fix.”

“He’s still an uptight—“ Jazz starts.

“I will leave now,” Prowl stands from the booth. “You don’t need to bother helping me with the reports.”

“Prowl,” Smokescreen frowns and glares at Jazz. “You could have been nice. He was.”

“The mech’s a glitch,” Jazz frowns. “He’s nice one second then the other he acts like Unicron ready to devour you.”

“Give him a chance,” Smokescreen sighs. 

“Fine,” Jazz sighs and smiles. “Just ’cuz you asked me to.”

 

Prowl stares at the data-pad in his servos. 

“Works not going to get done that way,” Smokescreen sits on the corner of Prowl’s desk. “Will you answer me truthfully?”

“Yes,” Prowl sets the data-pad down. 

“Do you love Jazz?” Smokescreen asks. Prowl clenches his servos and looks away. 

“He likes you,” Prowl says. “My emotions do not matter—“

“Don’t matter, Prowl, you’re the Allspark, everything about you matters.”

“I am just a mech now,” Prowl frowns. “You need to leave.”

“Jazz was right,” Smokescreen frowns. “You are a glitch. You open up until someone says or does something you don’t like and then you shut every one out. You know, I hope you do love Jazz. I hope it hurts when you see him happy with me. Then at least you feel something for him you’re willing to admit.”

Prowl flinches as Smokescreen stomps out of the room.


	13. Only a Ghost

Jazz walks out of the rec room, Ironhide-Peachy stomps out of Optimus Prime office. 

“Fragging mech thinks it’s a joke,” Ironhide grumbles. 

“When did you change your paint?” Jazz asks.

“I didn’t, Optimus says he didn’t do a thing, I don’t believe him,” Ironhide says. 

“Good luck,” Jazz says trying not to laugh. He walks into his quarters and climbs on the berth. Something trails along his back, something presses against his neck.

“Sky?” Jazz mumbles into the pillow. No answer. “Sky Creature?”

“I’m here,” Sky Creature whispers. “But you must promise me you will not look at me. I want you to hand me your visor.”

“But I’ve seen you before—“

“Jazz, please,” Sky Creature presses a kiss to Jazz’s cheek.

“Fine,” Jazz unlatches his visor and hands it out to Sky Creature. Sky Creature holds it in his servos, blue energy crackles over it. He lays it in Jazz’s servos. 

“You can never see me like this,” Sky Creature slides to Jazz’s side and wraps his arms around the smaller mech. 

“You’ll still be a mech, right?” Jazz asks.

“Yes, for you,” Sky Creature tightens his grip.

“You know, you could have just came, Smokescreen.”

Sky Creature frowns before replying,” I know. I feel better like this, for now.”

“Okay,” Jazz smiles, dropping his visor and flicking through the wavelengths. None of them show the mech in front of him. He tries finding the coding that is keeping Sky Creature from being picked up but finds nothing. 

 

Jazz onlines to someone trailing their fingers over his chest.

“You still don’t recharge?”

“I have no need to,” Sky Creature says. “At least not like this.”

“What do you do all night?”

“I don’t do anything, I watch you recharge,” Sky Creature presses a kiss to Jazz’s lips. Jazz slides his servos around Sky Creature’s helm. 

“Why is it so different?” Jazz asks. 

“Why is what so different?” Sky Creature kisses down Jazz’s neck. 

“When you kiss me as a mech and now.”

“I . . . I am just energy here,” Sky Creature says.

“Don’t you get bored being all alone in your quarters?” 

“I have been alive for eons,” Sky Creature presses a kiss to Jazz’s collar. “I find something to entertain myself with.”

“Tell me about Dawnblade, Starscream won’t.”

“We landed on a semi-organic planet, much like Earth. The seekers were tired of flying through space and Starscream decided to land. I followed and I instantly became interested in the beings that inhabited the planet. I tried to make contact with a few but none could see me. I was just energy like when I met you. I finally came across one that could see and hear me. He was considered blind by the others, he couldn’t see in their wavelengths. I gave him his sight back as well as keep the wavelength my energy was visible in. 

“We became friends, he showed me around to his favorite places and we eventually became close. He loved music and dancing, I named him dancing mate. I told him I could create a longer lasting body, like his and he agreed he would wait for me. My year felt like eternity, when I finally emerged from my room, I found out Dawnblade had taken another lover. I was prepared to compete for his love. He yelled at me for disappearing and cheating on him. I tried to tell him I wasn’t fully aware during my year. That any prolonged distance away from my forming body would cause me to run out of energy and fade. 

“He forgave me and started to step closer to me. His chosen mate came up and interrupted. She said they were expecting. Dawnblade ran to her and I could see that I was no longer wanted. While they were talking, she asked who I was, Dawnblade started to talk and introduce me. I destroyed my body and continued to watch them. Their little creation was so happy. I wanted that happiness, to share that happiness with another. Their winter came. It was one of the coldest. Dawnblade’s home was destroyed by a fire. They had nowhere to go except a small shelter with no heat. I stayed with them that winter, keeping them warm. When spring came, the seekers and I left.”

“Why did you keep him warm? He hurt you.”

“I still loved him,” Sky Creature wraps his arms tighter around Jazz’s waist. 

“Well you found me,” Jazz smiles. “I love you.”

“I know,” Sky Creature frowns and listens to the silver mech’s spark. 

“You know what, I want to bond,” Jazz leans up on his elbows. 

“I know,” Sky Creature holds back his cries. 

“I mean right now,” Jazz leans up.

“Jazz . . .”

“Come on, Smokey, do whatever ya gotta do,” Jazz waves his servo in the air.

“No,” Sky Creature says. “I will not bond to you. Not now.”

Sky Creature pushes off the berth and walks out of the quarters. He walks off the base before turning solid. He stalks into the forest before coming to a long forgotten quarry. He raises his servos, stones rise in the air. He clenches his servos and the stones burst into dust. He walks into the quarry and touches one of the remaining stones. Blue energy snakes around the stone, carving it precisely into the form of a mech. Prowl sits on the ground looking up at the stone replica of the saboteur. 

“Jazz,” Prowl’s doorwings droop to touch the ground. He slides his fingers over the stone pede. He slams his servos to the ground, blue energy ripples along the ground. Rocks form a dome around the stone Jazz. Marble walls rise on the inside, the small opening at the top covers in clear crystal, causing the room to shine in silver light. Stones form the furniture around the dome. A berth forms with finely crushed stone as the mattress pad. Gems start forming within the marble walls, shimmering in the sunlight.

Prowl slumps against stone Jazz as the dome starts to take his energy.


	14. Allspark

Prowl onlines on the floor, blue light shines over his frame. The glyphs shimmer brightly. Overdrawing energy to restart his frame causes him to wince as he stands. A pile of metal sits in the corner of the small berth room. He crawls over to it and the pile melts into a small frame of a seeker. A small blue orb phases through the clear crystal ceiling. It hovers just over the frame. Prowl smiles at the blue spark dancing over the frame. 

“Go little one,” Prowl whispers and the spark phases through the frame. Deep green optics online and the frame’s colors darken. A teal blue and purple seeker smiles up at him. Prowl smiles back and cradles the sparkling close to his chest. She frowns when there is no spark pulse to listen to. “I’m sorry little one. I gave my spark away.”

Small servos press against his chest and the seeker clicks at him. 

“You will be happy with the others, for now you must recharge,” Prowl lays on the berth with the seeker curled up against him. The seeker chirps quietly as she falls into recharge with the sound of the crystals humming. Prowl watches as the seeker recharges, small wings flutter. “My poor seekerling.”

 

“Prime, I’m getting a reading of Allspark energy five miles north,” Ironhide-Peachy says. 

:Autobots, we might have the Allspark,: Optimus Prime says. “Good work Peachy.”

“I’m gonna kill you,” Ironhide says and starts shooting the ground at Optimus Prime’s pedes. 

“You have to aim a little higher,” Optimus Prime smiles.

“Right here?” Ironhide-Peachy punches the Prime in the chest, just above his spark chamber. 

“A little lower,” Optimus Prime smirks. 

“Ah, you mean here,” Ironhide –Peachy punches the Prime in the abdomen. Optimus Prime doubles over. 

“Peachy that hurt,” Optimus Prime says trying to not laugh. Ironhide-Peachy pushes the Prime’s aft to make the mech falls face down on the ground. 

“Will you two stop flirting, it’s making my tanks churn,” Starscream holds his abdomen. “I might ruin your peachy paint job.”

”You,” Ironhide-Peachy growls and runs after the seeker. Starscream screams and transforms. “Come back here coward!”

Ironhide-Peachy starts shooting at the seeker.

“Leave my bondmate alone,” Ratchet throws a wrench at Ironhide-Peachy. One of the blasts hits the seeker’s wings. 

“He shot me!” Starscream screams and starts falling. Skywarp teleports and grabs the Air Commander. By the time they teleport to Ratchet’s side, the seeker’s wing is almost healed.

“Peachy,” Optimus Prime looks sternly at the peach colored mech. 

“I hate you all,” Ironhide-Peachy says and stomps off toward the location the Allspark energy is. 

The seekers arrive first and lands just a few feet from the sapphire dome. Jazz arrives next and looks up at the sparkling dome. 

:Uh, guys, I don’t know what it is, it’s not the Allspark,” Jazz says. Oprtimus Prime drives up and transforms beside Jazz. The Prime reaches out to touch the sapphire surface. Blue energy crackles over the dome, starting at the top. When it reaches Optimus Prime’s servo, the Prime flies backward ten feet. Jazz cautiously reaches out, stopping just a few inches away. “Smokey, let me in.”

Blue energy crackles and Jazz collapses against the wall. Blue energy shimmers over the surface before sending out a pulse. Every Cybertronian is pushed back to Optimus Prime. A blue veil shimmers at Optimus Prime’s pedes. The Prime reaches out to the veil, servos press against it as it becomes solid under his touch.

“The Allspark shouldn’t refuse the matrix leader,” Optimus Prime says. Bumblebee presses his servo to the veil, hoping that holding the Allspark once would allow him to go in. it’s solid under his touch.

“Allspark,” Starscream touches the veil, the blue shimmers before sending the seeker a shock. Thundercracker steps up, small servos trembling as he raises one. 

“TC, don’t,” Skywarp says as Starscream rubs his servo. “I don’t want you hurt.”

“Allspark, it’s me,” Thundercracker whispers as he presses his servo to the veil. It shimmers, the Autobots yell for him to move his servo. His servo passes through and he steps across the veil. Skywarp jumps up, servos pressing against the veil. Blue energy shocks him. “I’ll be fine.”

“Thundercracker!” Skywarp screams as the blue seeker walks to the sapphire dome. The Autobots watch as the seeker disappears through the opening in the dome. 

Thundercracker walks up to the main room, two stone seekers stand guard at the door. He passes by them and walks through the main room, more seekers stand around the room. He notices the colors along the walls are murals made from gems; the scenes are from another planet. A planet he’s only seen in Skywarp’s memories. He reaches another opening, two stone seekers guard it. Passing through it, he walks into the berth room, an elegant seeker in rubies, diamonds and sapphires stands in front of the berth. An obsidian and marble white mech stands by the berth, sapphire visor glittering in the light. 

Prowl sits on the berth, facing away from him. 

“Allspark?” Thundercracker steps up to the edge of the berth. 

“Will you take her?” Prowl asks, turning with the purple and blue-green seeker curled in his arms. “Will you make sure she’s safe?”

“Why can’t you?” Thundercracker asks.

“I’ve decided that I do not belong with the Autobots.”

“Who is she?”

“Slipstream,” Prowl says as he transfers the sleeping seekerling to Thundercracker. 

“You can’t stay here.”

“I did in Simfur,” Prowl frowns. “Cybertron, Earth, a planet is a planet. My function is creator. Nothing more. Leave.”

Thundercracker feels himself slide away from Prowl.

“Prowl,” Thundercracker says. “You’re a mech now.”

“Am I?” Prowl turns to the seeker. “Mech’s have sparks that can feel love and have the one they’re meant for waiting for them. They can bond. They can have sparklings with their mates. I can create by myself. I am no mech. I don’t belong. Goodbye.”

“Allpsark!” Thundercracker yells as he gets pushed out of the dome. 

“TC!” Skywarp yells. Thundercracker turns with the seekerling in his arms. The Autobots gasp as they see the small frame. 

“Allspark,” Starscream glances up at the dome. 

“The Allspark is in there?” Optimus Prime asks as he looks down at the seeker. 

“He doesn’t want to be bothered,” Thundercracker holds the seekerling closer. 

“He?” Optimus Prime asks. “The Allpsark is a mech?”

“Yes, the Allspark is a mech,” Starscream sighs. “He has a physical body now. His main objective was to change the mech’s created before the introduction of the cube to Cybertron into mechs able to create sparklings through bonds and merges. He is now one of the Cybertronians, the mechs with the glyphs are close to what he is.”

“Blaster, Springer, Mirage and the seekers are Allsparks?”

“The seekers are in charge of guarding the Allspark,” Starscream shakes his helm. “The others are failed Allsparks.”

“Hey!” Springer says.

“I am not a failed in anything,” Mirage crosses his arms. 

“You can carry sparklets,” Starscream says. “You have to have someone else contribute spark energy. Allspark, that Allspark, can create on his own.”

“Who is he?” Optimus Prime asks. 

“He . . . doesn’t want to be named,” Starscream glances at the dome.


	15. Next Level

Jazz wraps his arms around Smokescreen’s neck as he sits on the Praxians’ lap. Sometime after the dome, Smokescreen invited him into his quarters to play games or watch a movie. He lies on the Praxian as he trails his fingers along the mech’s neck and down his chestplates. 

“Do you want to move somewhere more comfortable?” Smokescreen trails his fingers over Jazz’s hips.

“Where?” Jazz asks as his optics dim.

“The berth,” Smokescreen smiles. 

“Sure,” Jazz giggles as Smokescreen carries him to the berth. Doorwings fan out above them when Smokescreen lays Jazz on the berth; each of the three panels is a different shade. 

“Open up for me,” Smokescreen whispers by his audio.

“What?” Jazz asks and sits up. 

“I thought you wanted to move onto the next level.”

“The next level?” Jazz asks. “I thought you weren’t ready to bond.”

“Who said anything about bonding?”

“Look, I like the kisses and all but . . . I’m not ready.”

“You seemed ready enough,” Smokescreen frowns. “Wanting to bond and all, that’s more than ready. I’ll go easy on you. You don’t have to be afraid.”

Jazz scoots back on the berth as Smokescreen reaches for his chestplates. 

“Smokey, stop I don’t want this,” Jazz pushes on the Praxian’s chest. 

“What are you afraid of?” Smokescreen asks.

“Sink your claws into his doorwings,” Sky Creature whispers. Jazz digs his claws into Smokescreen’s wings. The Praxian screams out in pain and Jazz jumps off the berth, running into his quarters without looking back. 

“Sky?” 

“I’m here,” Sky Creature says and Jazz feels arms wrap around him.

“You’re not Smokescreen?” Jazz frowns.

“I never was.”

“But you said you were Praxian,” Jazz turns to look at the now solid mech.

 

“Jazz,” someone says and he feels himself shake. “Come on, Jazz.”

Jazz onlines his optics and looks around the med-bay. Smokescreen stands beside the berth. Doorwings perk up when Jazz moves. 

“What happened?” Jazz rubs his helm.

“It’s the middle of the night and you haven’t onlined since the dome,” Smokescreen says. “That was two days ago and then you started moaning and crying.”

“Did you get your wing fixed?” Jazz stares at the doorwing. 

“Did I . . . why would I?” Smokescreen asks. “I never hurt it. Are you okay?”

“Didn’t we try to bond or something?”

“No,” Smokescreen frowns. “I’m getting Ratchet. He’ll help you.”

“I thought we were in your quarters.”

“The last time you were, you had a meeting to go to. I thought you were mad at me.”

“Really?” Jazz frowns. “We didn’t try anything?”

“I kissed you and then you left.”

“Oh,” Jazz glances up as Ratchet walks into the med-bay.

“What happened?” Ratchet asks.

“He started moaning and crying, he’s not making any sense,” Smokescreen looks up at the medic.

“I remember something,” Jazz glances at Smokescreen.

“You wanna tell me?” Ratchet runs a scan over him. Elevated spark pulse. 

“Uh . . . well . . . I was in Smokescreen’s quarters and he . . . well . . .he tried to . . . force me to . . .bond.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Smokescreen’s doorwings fall low on his back.

“Humans have dreams, perhaps the shock from the dome created a new circuit,” Ratchet says. 

“He shouldn’t be alone,” Smokescreen says. “I mean, what if he dreams Decepticons are coming.”

“I want you to watch him, I’ll ask Starscream about it.”

Smokescreen leads Jazz to his quarters and into the berthroom. 

“You can stay here,” Smokescreen smiles and turns to the door.

“You’re not staying?” Jazz holds the thermal blanket close to his chest. 

I can recharge on the couch,” Smokescreen smiles and closes the door behind him.

“Sky?” Jazz asks. The silence only answers him. “Sky Creature?”

“Yes, Jazz,” Sky Creature says from beside him. 

“Are you Smokescreen?” Jazz turns toward Sky Creature. 

“Do you think I am?” Sky Creature presses a light kiss to Jazz’s helm. 

“I don’t know what to think.”

“Go to recharge, Jazz.”

“Will you be here when I online?”

“Have I ever not been here when you ask?” Sky Creature wraps his arms around Jazz.

“I love you.” Jazz smiles and falls into recharge.


	16. To Dream a Dream

Ratchet walks into the berthroom to see Starscream sitting up on the berth. 

“Good you’re up,” Ratchet climbs on the berth. “I have a question for you about the Allspark.”

“You should know I don’t really need recharge,” Starscream lays his helm on Ratchet’s shoulder. “I only mimic recharge with memory files replaying or inventive scenes with the other seekers. We are all connected.”

“As Prowl said, he can feel what you feel,” Ratchet frowns. Starscream laughs quietly. 

“Yes, I forgot to mention that,” Starscream smiles. “Skywarp’s jealous. Owe!”

“Shut up,” Ratchet subspaces the wrench. 

“Your question?” Starscream says rubbing his helm. “What was it, if I have the processing power to answer it.”

“You may have already answered it, I was going to ask if the Allspark could make someone have dreams.”

“Inventive scenes,” Starscream says. “It’s similar to dreaming but it connects two mech’s processors. If Allspark contacted someone, he will not appear in them. He only watches.”

“Jazz had something happen while he was recharging,” Ratchet frowns. “Smokescreen tried to force bond with him.”

“If Allspark is the only one connected, it’s the mech’s worst fear,” Starscream says. “Every guard went through it.”

“What was it like?” Ratchet asks. 

“Do you want to go through it?” Starscream asks, it would be the completion of your guard training.”

“I was not aware I was in training,” Ratchet looks down at the seeker. 

“You being bonded to me is your training,” Starscream says. “With each merge you learn more and more about Allspark than you know. Learning exactly what you fear most is the completion.”

“How long does it take?” Ratchet asks. “What changes from now until then?”

“You get your own symbol,” Starscream traces the medic’s chest. 

“What does that mean?”

“It means you are deeply cared for by Allspark,” Starscream smiles. “He’ll keep you alive forever.”

“How real is the dream?”

“You think it’s real,” Starscream frowns. “He had to stabilize my spark.”

“What were you afraid of?”

“Not being able to fly,” Starscream shudders. “We had planets in our system that had no solid ground. The only ground we had was platforms that floated in the air. I didn’t have wings, they were gone. A seeker pushed me off the platform and I fell. We had figure out what to do to save ourselves. It took me days within the inventive scene to figure out just calling for Allspark to help was my saving action. He had been watching me on Airione and wanted me to be his personal guard.”

“He doesn’t come when called?” Ratchet frowns.

“No, Skywarp’s fear was never being able to teleport,” Starscream says. “He was stuck in goo native to Freidon. It was much like this planet’s quicksand, but it slowly ate away at a seeker’s body. Unlike Creation’s and Airione’s form, Freidon’s surface was completely goo. Xerali had pure acid. Picsin had magnetic fields that would pull you apart. Solen had a sea of rust. Creation and Airione had the core of the planet; a gas surrounded it and made it difficult to see. Prolonged exposure led to vents clogging up and you slowly suffocated.”

“How did he get out?”

“He never said, Seekers never tell about their fear,” Starscream says. “You would have known anyway through our bond. He will come if the stress is too much. He’ll make you online and make sure you’re aware that you’re back in reality.”

“When will this happen?”

“If you want to be a guard he can come immediately or when you want to,” Starscream says. 

“How long does it normally take?” 

“Mine took days, Skywarp’s only a few hours. The average is your normal recharge cycle.”

“I’ll do it now,” Ratchet says. 

“You’ll feel everything Allspark does,” Starscream says. “When he’s hurt, when he’s sad, when he’s with Jazz if he ever gets it through his processor to say something.”

“I’m ready,” Ratchet says. 

“Relax,” Prowl says as he appears at the side of the berth. Ratchet jumps and glares at him. “It hasn’t even started and you’re afraid.” 

“Shut up,” Ratchet lies down. 

“Remember, it is not real,” Prowl says as Ratchet offlines his optics. “Starscream and I are right beside you.”


	17. Fear Itself

Ratchet onlines in his berthroom, Starscream lies beside him in recharge. 

“Starscream,” Ratchet says, the seeker stretches and smiles over at him. “What happened to the inventive scene?” 

“You never told me anything about it,” Starscream frowns. “Allspark never tells anyone else about them.”

“How do I know if I’m in it?”

“Does this feel real?” Starscream leans over and kisses the medic.

“Yes,” Ratchet smirks and slides his servos to the seeker’s wings. 

“My spark feels strange,” Starscream frowns as he lies on the berth.

“Then I should inspect it,” Ratchet traces the seams of Starscream’s chest. Bright blue light shines over Ratchet’s frame. The medic frowns when he sees a small orb connected to his spark. “You have a parasite attached to your spark.”

“Whoa!” Starscream grabs Ratchet’s servos. “That’s our sparklet.”

“Sparklet?”

“A baby spark,” Starscream smiles and pulls the medic down for a kiss. “We created the little spark.”

“We created it,” Ratchet smiles.

“Yes, through merging sparks,” Starscream trails his claw down Ratchet’s chest. “I will need lots of merging to make sure the little one has enough energy.”

“It won’t hurt the little sparklet?” 

“Not the Sire’s spark,” Starscream smiles. “Now, I think we should start.”

 

Ratchet onlines to his comm. going off.

:Ratchet!: Ironhide screams. :Optimus is convulsing.:

:I’ll be right there,: Ratchet jumps off the berth.

“Where are you going?” Starscream asks.

“Something’s wrong with Optimus,” Ratchet walks out of the room. He walks into the Prime’s quarters, Optimus Prime lies on the berth. 

“He stopped a few minutes ago,” Ironhide says.

“When are you going to repaint?” Ratchet asks as he runs a scan over Optimus Prime’s frame. 

“Someone hid my shade of black,” Ironhide grumbles. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He seems fine, my scans show nothing wrong with his frame,” Ratchet frowns. “I would need to open his spark chamber to scan his spark.”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Ironhide grabs the medic’s servo. “It doesn’t look good. It’s not his normal blue.”

“What do you mean it’s not blue?”

“It’s red,” Ironhide says. “Mine’s also.”

“You had a gold spark,” Ratchet frowns as he runs a scan over the black mech and finds everything is fine with his frame. :Starscream, does a red spark mean anything to you?:

:Blue is Allspark, gold is Vector Sigma, green is Quintesson,: Starscream says. “I don’t know of any red. I would have to study the spark--:

:No, it may be infectious, it may be a virus. Stay in our quarters.:

:Should I call Allspark?: 

‘Call Allspark,’ Ratchet thinks. ‘What was my dream? Why can’t I remember?’ :No, not yet, we don’t need him infected.: “I’m going to quarantine these quarters. I don’t want to infect the others while I figure this out.”

“We aren’t dying are we?” Ironhide asks.

“Your energy levels are stable, your frame isn’t graying,” Ratchet says. “You should be fine.”

“What about you?”

“My frame is sealed, my ventilation system isn’t integrated like everyone else. Medics are made differently.”

Ratchet walks out of the quarters and to the med-bay. He plugs in a scanner to his arm; a scan of his spark appears on the screen. The gold spark pulses faster than normal. Thank goodness for internal scanners.

“Ratchet,” Starscream peeks out of the quarters. “Is it safe to come out?”

“Yes,” Ratchet sighs.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I believe it started with Optimus’ spark, the residual energy must have infected Ironhide’s when he opened his spark chamber. If it is passed through the air, we need to quarantine the whole base. There will not be any spark merging or bonding until the virus is cured.”

“Dampen the mood,” Starscream sighs and sits on one of the berths. 

“I mean for anyone,” Ratchet glares at the seeker.

:Optimus is online if you want to speak with him,: Ironhide says.

:Optimus, how are you feeling?: Ratchet asks.

:A little weak,: Optimus Prime replies. :My spark hurts. My processor is a little slow. I feel like I want to purge.:

“He sounds like he’s carrying,” Starscream smirks.

“Did you hack my comms?” Ratchet glares at the seeker, Starscream shrugs. “Beat it.”

“Fine, no loving for your carrying bondmate,” Starscream grumbles. “I’ll go find Primus and Unicron. They at least like me. I might just make them treats.”

“Energon!” Ratchet jumps and pins Starscream to the wall.

“What are you doing?” Starscream glares at the medic. 

“When did you last refuel?”

“Yesterday morning.”

:Optimus, when did you last refuel?:

:Yesterday afternoon.:

“It’s in the Energon,” Ratchet grabs a cube of Energon he didn’t use yesterday. :Autobots, report to me if you had Energon in the afternoon and report to Starscream if you had Energon in the morning.:

:I had Energon in the morning,: Skywarp says

:Me too,: Thundercracker replies.

:I had some in the afternoon,: Sunstreaker says.

:I did too,: Sideswipe says.

:I had some at noon,: Mirage replies.

:In the afternoon,: Wheeljack says.

:Morning,: Rodimus and Springer say.

:Afternoon,: Blaster replies.

:Afternoon,: Smokescreen says.

:Noon,: Hound says.

:Night,: Jazz says.

“What about Allspark?” Ratchet asks.

“He hasn’t had any,” Starscream frowns.

:Ironhide, when did you?:

:Afternoon,: Ironhide replies.

“Someone poisoned the Energon sometime after the morning, :What times did everyone refuel?:

Ratchet starts walking to Skywarp and Thundercracker’s quarters. 

“Did you two merge recently?” Ratchet asks.

“Yeah, last night,” Skywarp frowns.

“Your sparks were blue?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you feel weak? Does your spark hurt?”

“No, we’re fine.”

Ratchet moves on to Rodimus and Springer’s quarters. They are fine. He moves to Mirage and Hound’s, they too are fine.

:Ratchet, I don’t feel too well,” Smokescreen says as Ratchet approaches the door. :I feel weak and my processor feels funny.:

:What is the exact time you refueled?:

:One . . . one ten,: Smokescreen replies. :Ratchet, my levels are dropping. I’m at three percent. I--:

:Smokescreen!: Ratchet overrides the code to the Praxian’s quarters. Smokescreen lies on the floor, chest corroded away. :Emergency quarantine. The virus is deadly. Wheeljack, Blaster, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe . . . Jazz, stay in your quarters.:

:Jazz is infected?: Prowl asks.

:I am afraid so,: Ratchet replies.

:I . . . I lied,: Prowl says. :I had some Energon at three thirty five.:

:Optimus, when did you refuel?:

:Three thirty,: Optimus replies.

:Starscream, I need help now,: Ratchet makes his way to the med-bay. He walks in to see Prowl standing beside Starscream. “Get away from him!”

“Ratchet!” Starscream pulls Ratchet away from Prowl.

“Did you show him your spark?” 

“I wanted to see the sparklet,” Prowl pouts. “I’m sorry.”

“Open your spark chamber.”

“I . . . I can’t,” Prowl backs away.

“I need to see your spark.”

“No,” Prowl runs out of the med-bay.

“Open your spark chamber,” Ratchet turns to the seeker. He sees the red spark and the smaller red spark. “No.”

“Ratch, you’ll be able to save us,” Starscream trails his fingers over the red and white medic.

“I didn’t save Smokescreen!”

“You didn’t know.”

“I should have!”

“You know for the rest. You can use my spark.”

 

An hour and a half passes, Ratchet sighs as he is nowhere closer to curing the virus.

:Ratch . . . I . . . I don’t—“ Blaster says before the comm. goes dead.

“When did Blaster refuel?” Starscream asks.

“Two thirty.”

“And Smokescreen?”

“One.”

“It takes twenty hours.”

“What takes twenty hours?”

“I have nineteen hours to live,” Starscream pulls Ratchet close. 

“What?” Ratchet glances at the seeker. :Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Ironhide, Optimus, Jazz and Prowl, get in the med-bay this instant.:

 

A half hour passes and Sunstreaker and Sideswipe fall victim to the virus. Prowl looks at Jazz who stares down at his servos. 

“I’m gonna be the last one,” Jazz trembles.

“Technically Starscream will,” Prowl says. “He has until tomorrow afternoon.”

“You’re a bucket full of sunshine.”

“I get to spend my remaining time with you,” Prowl frowns and looks away.

“What?”

“Jazz . . . I . . . I care about you.”

“Right.”

“Will you two just bond!” Ratchet yells as he continues to work.

“I can’t,” Prowl frowns.

“I see how it is, I’m not good enough—“ Jazz starts, Prowl tackles him and silences him with a kiss. Prowl pulls away.

“I love you,” Prowl starts to leave.

“I . . . I love you,” Jazz smiles and pulls Prowl close.

 

Ratchet sighs. He glances over at Optimus and Ironhide, then to Prowl and Jazz. 

“You’ll save us,” Starscream takes Ratchet’s servo.

“I still don’t—“ Ratchet says, Optimus Prime screams as Ironhide falls off the berth. The black mech’s spark chamber already corroded. Ratchet jumps up and runs to the Prime’s side.

“Ratch!” Jazz screams as Prowl curls up on himself. “Ya gotta save him.”

“But Prime,” Ratchet frowns.

“Ratchet, you took an oath to save Allspark first,” Starscream says.

“I took an oath for the Prime,” Ratchet frowns. 

“You can only save one,” Starscream clenches his fist over his chest. “The . . . I think the sparklet is fading.”

“What?” Ratchet glances from the Prime’s corroding chest to Prowl’s body to Starscream kneeling on the floor. 

“Ratch!” Jazz yells.

“Old friend,” Optimus Prime says weakly.

“Ratchet,” Starscream pleads. “Our sparklet.”

“Who do I save?” Ratchet falls to his knees. “Poisoned Energon, infected sparks . . . “ 

Ratchet opens his spark chamber and opens the Prime’s.

“Ratch!” Jazz screams.

“Ratchet!” Starscream shrieks.

Everything goes black as their sparks merge.


	18. Choices

Ratchet onlines on his berth, Starscream lies beside him in recharge. 

“Starscream,” Ratchet says, the seeker stretches and smiles over at him. “What happened to the inventive scene?”

“You never told me anything about it,” Starscream frowns. “Allspark never tells anyone else about them.”

“How do I know if I’m in it?”

“Does this feel real?” Starscream leans over and kisses the medic.

“Yes,” Ratchet smirks and slides his servos to the seeker’s wings. 

“My spark feels strange,” Starscream frowns as he lies on the berth.

“Then I should inspect it,” Ratchet traces the seams of the seeker’s chest. Bright blue light shines over Ratchet’s frame. The medic frowns when he sees a small orb connected to the spark. “You have a parasite attached to your spark.”

“Whoa!” Starscream grabs Ratchet’s servo. “That’s our sparklet.”

“A sparklet.”

“A baby spark,” Starscream smiles and pulls the medic down for a kiss. “We created the little spark.”

 

Ratchet smiles as he cleans the countertops of the med-bay. 

“Our sparklet is happy,” Starscream smiles. “I think I should let Allspark know I’m with sparklet. He absolutely adores sparklets.”

“Wait,” Ratchet frowns, his frame tingles and his processor stalls for a moment. His spark feels like it falls in his chamber. “I need to do something first.”

“Okay,” Starscream smiles and trails his fingers over the medic’s shoulders. 

:Optimus, what color is your spark right now?:

:Blue with a bit of gold in it,: Optimus Prime says. :Why do you ask?:

:I had a feeling something was wrong, it’s nothing,: Ratchet says. :Thank you.:

:Anytime, old friend,: Optimus Prime shuts off the comm.

“Can I go now?” Starscream leans close to Ratchet’s audio.

“Be safe,” Ratchet kisses the seeker above the spark.

“I’m not going to die,” Starscream snickers and walks out.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Ratchet stares at the door.

“Why don’t ya follow him?” Primus asks with his arms crossed over the counter top and chin resting on them. 

“He’s just going to Allspark.”

“Maybe the sun will fall on him,” Primus smiles as he looks at the medic.

“What are you even talking about?” Ratchet glares down at the youngling.

“I don’t know, what you talkin’ ‘bout?” 

“Is it your mission to annoy the mechs around you.”

“Maybe,” Primus smiles and hops up on the berth. 

Base alarms sound, Primus screams and Ratchet glares at the youngling. He looks out the med-bay. Smoke rises from the east. 

:Optimus, respond!: Ratchet yells when the Autobot leader doesn’t send out commands. 

:Smoke . . . so much, cannot . . . see,: Optimus Prime replies.

:Starscream?: 

:Rat-chet, I can’t feel my frame,: Starscream whimpers. :Allspark, is . . . I don’t . . . I don’t know.:

Ratchet races toward the smoke and transforms at the edge of the rubble.

:Any and all mechs available, come to the rec room--: Ratchet frowns and starts digging and throwing the pieces of cement away. He reaches the foundation line of the hanger.

:Ratchet!: Prowl yells over the comm. :Stop. You’re making the pocket collapse.:

:I’m trying to dig everyone out.:

:They’re gone,: Prowl says. :Optimus and Starscream are the only ones in the pocket. We’re in the north west corner.:

:I will get you out,: Ratchet says and starts digging at the north west corner. A small opening appears and Ratchet looks down. 

“Take Prowl first,” Starscream says. “He’s the smallest and can help you open the hole.”

Ratchet grabs Prowl’s servo. Prowl puts a servo on the medic’s shoulder. The opening starts crumbling. 

“You shouldn’t choose me,” Prowl says. 

“Come on,” Ratchet pulls the black and white mech up.

“You failed,” Prowl says and the opening crumbles to Starscream’s screams. Darkness engulfs him.


	19. Home is where the spark is

Ratchet onlines to the constant hum of Starscream’s spark under his. The sound of another smaller spark hums. A sparklet. His and Starscream’s sparklet. He looks up at the seeker who is still in recharge, his spark pulses fast as he remembers something. 

“You failed,” Prowl had said. 

‘This is only the inventive scene,’ Ratchet frowns. “Starscream.”

“Huh,” Starscream onlines his optics and looks down at the medic. 

“We need to leave the base, now,” Ratchet says.

“Why?” Starscream frowns as the medic pulls him off the berth.

“We need to get away from Optimus and Allspark,” Ratchet pulls Starscream out of his quarters. 

“Ratchet, you’re not making any sense,” Starscream pulls his servo out of Ratchet’s. 

“This isn’t real,” Ratchet says. 

“Is this real?” Starscream pushes Ratchet to the ground. Ratchet winces as pain shoots through his sensory net. Dreams didn’t have pain. “Did that hurt?”

“Yes,” Ratchet frowns and looks up at the seeker. 

“Now, I am going back to recharge. The sparklet is draining me.”

“What sparklet?” Ratchet asks, maybe he could catch Starscream in a lie to reveal if this is actually a dream.

“What sparklet?” Starscream laughs. “I told you two months ago, are you working too hard?”

“Two months?” Ratchet looks around and sees Ironhide walking by. 

“Peachy!” Wheeljack runs up to the peach colored mech. 

“For the last time, I am not Peachy,” Ironhide turns to the scientist. 

“Then why are you colored like that?”

“You do remember we colored him that way,” Starscream asks. “I told you about Morningstar.”

“Yes, I remember that,” Ratchet continues to frown. “What happened during my . . .”

“Your what?”

Ratchet stares at the seeker.

“Come on, I don’t read minds,” Starscream puts his servos on his hips. “Do I need to call Soundwave to read your processor?”

“Soundwave . . .” Ratchet continues to stare at him.

“Soundwave, the communications officer, the third in command of the Decepticons,” Starscream frowns. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I don’t know,” Ratchet sighs. “I want to believe this is real.”

“Then it is real,” Starscream throws up his servos. “If you want to believe, then believe. It won’t make a difference. Go into recharge if you must and online again. You can’t go into recharge when you’re in recharge.”

“I have before,” Ratchet stands and frowns at the seeker. 

“Come on,” Starscream takes Ratchet’s servos. “You’ve obviously had a rough time.”

“We’ve never merged in a dream,” Ratchet sits on the edge of the berth. 

“Do you need to merge?” Starscream smiles as he pulls Ratchet back on the berth. 

 

Ratchet lies beside Starscream. ‘Perhaps this isn’t a dream. Everything feels so real.’

He looks over to the seeker, something wasn’t right. His Energon runs cold through his frame, his spark pulses faster. A slight hiccup in Starscream’s fans causes him to glance at the seeker. Starscream frowns in his recharge and puts his servo over his spark. 

“Ratchet!” Starscream screams and sits up on the berth. 

“I’m right here,” Ratchet wraps his arms around Starscream’s waist. 

“Our sparklet, he . . . thinks you’re going to leave us,” Starscream frowns. 

“He can think?” Ratchet looks up at the seeker.

“Any sparklet of Allspark’s energy can think during carrying,” Starscream smiles. “He’s also already in his body. Just a few more days and he’ll be with us.”

“Will he be a seeker?”

“Most likely a hybrid,” Starscream says. “Allspark makes the seekers.”

“How do you know it’s a he?”

“He wants to be a mech,” Starscream says. 

 

Ratchet sits in his office going over some of the Autobot’s check-up files. Everyone but Prowl had a thorough report. He frowns when pain trickles over the bond. 

“Starscream?” Ratchet looks out the door, the seeker stumbles into the med-bay. 

“Ratchet . . .” Starscream falls to his knees. “The sparklet . . . he’s . . . he’s having trouble.”

Ratchet helps Starscream to the berth. Starscream screams, frame starting to gray. 

“Save the sparklet,” Starscream cries out. Ratchet starts an Energon drip. He runs scans over the seeker’s frame. 

“The sparklet is draining you,” Ratchet frowns. 

“Ratchet, you need a thermal blanket, you need to keep him warm,” Starscream says as Ratchet opens the seeker’s chest plates. “Ratchet!” 

“You’re not leaving me,” Ratchet pulls the sparklet’s frame out of Starscream’s frame. Starscream cries out as the blue and white frame grays. 

“No!” Starscream punches Ratchet and the medic falls into black.


	20. The Truth about Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a member of AO3, waiting on a membership?
> 
> If you're a member of Livejournal I post what stories are up dated. 
> 
> http://chryscare.livejournal.com/
> 
> You can watch it and get emails.

Ratchet onlines to an empty berth, looking around he notices Starscream isn’t in the room. 

:Starscream?: Ratchet asks. No reply. “Starscream!” 

The door joining the med-bay opens and white seeker wings appear. Starscream carries in a tray of Energon goodies. Ratchet watches the seeker quietly back into the room. 

“If you’re trying to not wake me, I’m already up,” Ratchet says. Starscream curses and the tray goes flying in the air as he jumps. Ratchet laughs as the seeker glares at him. 

“You know how hard I worked on those,” Starscream puts his fists on his hips. “Just for that, you don’t get any treats.”

Starscream falls on the berth with his arms over his chest. 

“You shouldn’t have been gone that long,” Ratchet smiles and pulls the seeker backward. He wraps his arms around the seeker’s waist. 

“You know, little Airstrip is tired of being in the incubator,” Starscream looks up at the medic.

“Airstrip?” Ratchet frowns.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten our sparkling,” Starscream laughs. “I didn’t mean what I said about forgetting to merge with me in the future.”

“Our sparkling came?” 

“You seriously don’t remember?” Starscream asks and turns to sit up beside Ratchet. 

“He came without complications?” 

“You did an amazing job dodging my attempts to offline you,” Starscream smirks. “Yes, he came out without trouble. His frame was a bit too small and you had to do some work on the frame holding tank.” 

“Is he blue and white?”

“You should know you kept him away from me,” Starscream smiles. “You wouldn’t let me see him until I stopped screaming at you. Allspark was there, he got to hold him before I did. I still don’t forgive you for that.”

“Is he alright?”

“You should know, you’re the medic,” Starscream frowns. “Why don’t we go see him?”

Ratchet follows the seeker out of the berthroom and into one of the ICU rooms. A small blue, domed shaped berth sits on the regular berth. 

“Allspark made the incubator,” Starscream says and takes off the dome. The half seeker, half grounder squeals as Starscream picks him up. “Hello, little Airstrip. Your Sire finally decided to online and come see you.”

Ratchet walks up to the seeker and looks at the sparkling curled up in the seeker’s arms. The sparkling squeals and waves his arms. Starscream transfers the sparkling over to the medic. Ratchet smiles down at the blue and white sparkling. 

“You are adorable,” Ratchet tickles the sparklings abdomen. 

“You said adorable, I think the world might end,” Starscream laughs. 

“Don’t say that,” Ratchet glares at the seeker. 

:Autobots, the Decepticons are attacking, transform and roll out,: Optimus Prime says over the comm..

“I’ll stay here with Airstrip,” Starscream smiles and takes the sparkling. “They’ll probably need you.”

“Stay in our quarters,” Ratchet kisses Starscream before kissing the sparklings helm. 

“It’s not like I’m going to run somewhere,” Starscream says. “Skywarp and Thundercracker will keep me busy.”

“Be safe.”

“I’m in the Autobot base, I think I’m safe.”

“Just . . . stay in the quarters,” Ratchet turns away and runs out the door. 

“Over protective Sire, that’s what you have, Airstrip,” Starscream holds up the sparkling. “I think we should go visit Skywarp and Thundercracker.”

The sparkling chirps and Starscream walks out of the med-bay. 

“What do we have here?” Megatron walks around the corner. Starscream jumps. 

~Ratchet, Megatron is here,~ Starscream says. An engine roars and Ratchet transforms a few feet from them. 

“Let them go,” Ratchet says. Megatron smirks and onlines his cannon. 

“You didn’t tell me you had a sparkling with the Autobot medic,” Megatron points the cannon at Starscream. A silver claw grabs the sparkling and Starscream cries out. Megatron shoots the seeker and starts to take off. Ratchet kneels beside Starscream. 

“Save Airstrip,” Starscream holds his servo over the leaking hole in his abdomen. 

“You’ll die,” Ratchet frowns. 

“Airstrip,” Starscream says, Ratchet runs toward Megatron and grabs the mech’s legs as he lifts off. 

“Get off of me, you little cretin,” Megatron tries to shake the medic off.

“Give me my sparkling,” Ratchet growls and climbs up Megatron’s frame. Servo touches the sparkling’s pede and everything blacks out. ‘Not again.’


	21. Protecting innocence

Ratchet onlines on his berth, the lights are on the dim setting. Starscream recharges beside him.

“Starscream,” Ratchet shakes the seeker online.

“What do you want?” Starscream swats at the medic’s servos.

“We need to get Airstrip and leave,” Ratchet tries to pull the seeker up.

“Who is Airstrip?” Starscream frowns.

“Our sparkling,” Ratchet frowns as he stares at the seeker.

“What sparkling?”

“Then we need to get you and the sparklet—“

“Ratchet, I’m not sparked,” Starscream opens his spark chamber. No sparklet and no evidence of ever sparking. Ratchet starts to move off the berth.

“Stop,” Prowl holds Ratchet’s shoulder. “Relax.”

“You need to get away from me,” Ratchet pushes the white servo off his shoulder.

“Ratchet, you’re out of the inventive scene,” Prowl says, Ratchet scoots away from him. “Look.”

Prowl walks to Starscream’s side and sets his servo on the seeker’s chest. The seeker disappears and Ratchet glares at Prowl.

“Give him back.”

“Do you know your fear?”

“I can’t save everyone,” Ratchet crosses his arms.

“Do you know what saved you?”

“No,” Ratchet frowns. “I don’t even know if I’m still in it.”

“Has Starscream ever just disappeared?” Prowl asks.

“No,” Ratchet continues to frown. “It could be another test.”

“Ratchet, you saved Prime, you failed. You saved me, you failed. You saved Starscream, you failed. I need you, as a guard, to protect the sparklings. The new life. Starscream is my guard. Skywarp is the guard of seekerlings. You . . . you need to be the guard of all sparklings. We’ve never had a medic. No seeker ever had the patience to go to the Academy.”

“Starscream bonded to me because I’m a medic?”

“I don’t know why Starscream bonded to you but he did and it shows he cares deeply for you. Primus’ mechs do not have a permanent bond. When they go, their bond snaps. Mine do not. It keeps them alive. If Starscream should deactivate, he would not return to Creation as all others have. He would stay here, beside you until a new body was created. Then we would split your spark because you share it.”

“I still don’t believe you,” Ratchet glares at the black and white mech.

“Look down and you will see,” Prowl smiles. Ratchet looks down at his chest, a blue symbol shimmers on his armor. He looks up when the door opens. Starscream walks in, mud falling in clumps on the floor. 

“You did this to me!” Starscream points to the medic. “He transported me above a mud pit.”

“Why did you bond to me?” Ratchet asks. Starscream stops in his path to the washracks.

“I . . . your spark reminded me of . . . of a seeker from Airione. She cared for me. She always helped everyone around her. She deactivated when the five faces came. She is no more.”

Ratchet watches as Starscream walks into the washracks. Allspark needed to explain a few things about Starscream’s past.

 

Prowl sits on his berth staring at stone Jazz. Something calls him and he stands. The room changes to a concrete hanger with a berth and a few shelves. 

“Sky,” Jazz moans in the darkness.

‘Why does he always say Sky instead of Sky Creature?’ Prowl stands still. ‘Doesn’t he know my given name is Sky Creature?’

“Sky Creature,” Jazz cries and Prowl climbs on the berth. Jazz wraps his arms around the Praxian and snuggles up to him .Carefully keeping his ID from the EM field, he washes it over Jazz’s and the mech instantly calms. He frowns when Jazz’s audio presses against his chest.

 

“Optimus!” Ironhide-Peachy says.

“Yes, Peachy?” Optimus Prime smiles behind his mask.

“Where is my black paint?”

“It should be beside mine.”

“It’s not,” Ironhide-Peachy says. “I will start handing Megatron Autobots until I get it.”

“Now, you do not need to be so dramatic—“

“Shut up, Prime!” Ironhide-Peachy growls and stomps out.

:Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, did you paint Peachy?”

:No,: Sunstreaker replies.

:Jazz, did you paint Peachy?:

:Nope.:

:Ratchet, I need your help to find who painted Peachy.:

:Okay.:


	22. The Reaper of sparks

Prowl feels someone approaching his berth, the only being who can come and go as he pleases without alerting Allspark’s defenses. The Reaper. His other half. The one he is bonded to by energy itself. 

“I thought Simfur was behind you,” the silver mech says, blue highlights along his frame pulse to a spark pulse. 

“My chosen one doesn’t want anything to do with me,” Prowl looks at the mech whose red optics shine in contrast to the blue highlights.

“Does he deserve you?” the Decepticon asks and crawls on the berth in front of Prowl. “You always have me.”

“I love listening to his spark,” Prowl pouts as he curls up to the silver mech. “We both sacrificed our sparks. Do you have a chosen one?”

“I will always be yours,” the mech trails his claws over the black and white wing. “I did have one in mind but he bonded.”

“Who?” Prowl looks up, servos sliding over the silver frame. 

“You’ll think it’s foolish,” the Decepticon smirks.

“I won’t,” Prowl smiles.

“The Prime,” the Decepticon looks away.

“Ironhide—I mean Peachy would be mad,” Prowl presses his helm against the Decepticon’s shoulder.

“I could teach your chosen one a lesson.”

“You better not,” Prowl playfully growls as he pins the other to the berth. 

“Is that a threat Allspark?” the Decepticon wraps his arms around the smaller mech.

“Maybe,” Prowl jumps off the mech and disappears. The Decepticon growls and follows Allspark. 

 

The Reaper stands in front of the stone mech with a blue visor. Prowl recharges on the berth, exhausted from their game. 

“Jazz,” the Decepticon snarls, “you will have to prove your worth before ever coming close to Allspark.”

The Reaper looks at Prowl’s still form before disappearing to pay Jazz a visit.


	23. The Reaper's threat

Jazz onlines to the feeling of someone in his room.

“Sky Creature?” Jazz asks, looking around the room. Red optics appear in the darkness, the silver frame of a mech he knows all too well. “Soundwave.”

“If you hurt Allspark, I will make you suffer,” Soundwave growls as he suddenly appears over Jazz, servo around the Autobot’s neck. Jazz starts fighting, Soundwave disappears in thin air. 

:Starscream!: Jazz screams over the comm. :Sky Creature’s in trouble.:

:How?: Starscream asks. 

:Soundwave has him!:

:Calm down and come to the med-bay.:

Jazz jumps off his berth and runs into the med-bay.

“We have to help him!” Jazz runs up to Starscream.

“I said calm down!” Starscream slaps Jazz. 

“Soundwave is a mean Decepticon, he could be—“

“He’s the Reaper,” Starscream pushes Jazz on the berth. “He will not hurt Allspark.”

“How do you know?”

“Reaper is Allspark’s other half, his bondmate,” Starscream looks at Jazz. 

“Oh,” Jazz flinches. “I . . . I didn’t know he was already bonded. You should have told me.”

“Reaper sacrificed his spark when the five faces came. Allspark sacrificed his after the planet fell.”

“They were close?” Jazz frowns as he thinks over the new information.

“Yes,” Starscream sighs.

“S-Reaper threatened me,” Jazz wrings his servos.

“How?”

“He doesn’t want me to bond with Allspark.”

“He won’t stand in Allspark’s way,” Starscream says. “He doesn’t want you to hurt Allspark like Dawnblade did.”

“But if I bond to Allspark then I’m not hurting him.”

“Are you sure you know who Allspark is?”

“What do you mean?”

“Make sure you know who Allspark is before you bond with someone. Reaper does not take Allspark’s feelings lightly. He is the one who made the winter that nearly killed Dawnblade. He now knows Allspark will try to keep you alive. Allspark does not know that after we left, Reaper killed the whole planet. He will do the same here if you hurt Allspark.”

“Why would he kill innocent people?”

“He has no sense of innocence, if someone hurts Allspark, they all hurt him.”

“And Allspark likes him?”

“They were created together, like Unicron and Primus. They are each other’s balance. The creator and the destroyer. You do not want to get on Reaper’s bad side, trust me.”

“How did you?”

“I punched Allspark,” Starscream shrugs.


	24. Snow Moon Rising

Prowl onlines to someone’s arms around him.

“Jazz,” Prowl smiles before onlining his optics. The mech in front of him flinches. “Reaper, I’m sorry.”

“You care about him,” Soundwave rubs his thumb over Prowl’s chevron. Prowl nods. “Why?”

“His spark calls for me,” Prowl says. “Like ours did at the beginning of Creation.”

“You do remember what happened?”

“Of course,” Prowl traces Soundwave’s Decepticon insignia. “You tried to act all heroic and sacrificed your spark.”

“To save you.”

“I ended up wasting your sacrifice,” Prowl frowns, helm pressing against Soundwave’s chest. “It’s almost Snow Moon. You should come.”

“Megatron is planning something. You didn’t exactly make your dome quietly.”

“Yeah,” Prowl smiles. “I was mad.”

“I can tell,” Soundwave presses a kiss to Prowl’s chevron. “I should go.”

 

Jazz onlines on his berth, an alert pops up on his HUD. Fourteen days until Snow Moon.

:Prime, could I take a month off?: Jazz asks.

:I’ll have Skywarp take over your shifts,: Optimus Prime says.

:Thanks,: Jazz says and transforms on his way out the door.

:Where are you going?: Smokescreen asks.

:I gotta take care of some things,: Jazz says.

The drive up to the village only takes two and half days and he transforms when he reaches the main fire.

“Jazz!” the children jump around his pedes.

“Hi, little munchkins, you grew since the last time I saw you,” Jazz smiles down at them. “Has Sky Creature come yet?”

“He normally comes on Snow Moon and then stays a few days after,” the chief says.


	25. The Wait of Eternity

Jazz passes the days waiting for the Snow Moon by playing with the children, building snow castles and snow armies. 

“We can’t wait ‘till Sky Creature arrives, he always makes an ice castle and slide,” the children say. “What do you and Sky Creature do?”

“We talk and play games,” Jazz smiles. “What do you do until he comes?”

“Chores,” one of the children sighs.

“Mind if I help?” Jazz asks.

“We have to carry the fish baskets down to the lake for the fishermen, then we have to help the weavers unwind thread, then we gather sticks for the fire, then we bring the fish baskets to the storage hut, then we take them back to the lake, then we help move the snow from around the seating area by the fire, then we call everyone to dinner, then we all sing songs, then we help clean up, then we go to bed.”

“Sounds like a busy day,” Jazz smiles. 

“Not as busy as Snow Moon, we set up a place for Sky Creature to stay. We have to put up a huge tent, like yours.”

“He could just stay in the tent with me,” Jazz says as he follows the children to the basket pile.

“You’re not supposed to if you’re not married,” one of the children says. 

“It’s different for us, besides he’s just a friend,” Jazz smiles. “I bet he would understand.”

 

Jazz falls back on the pile of blankets in his tent. The children’s chores wore him out. Playing shuttle with them back and forth between the storage and lake, helping unweave thread, picking up branches for the fire was more tiring than paperwork. 

Jazz looks up at the tent; the fire causes shadows to dance over the surface. For a moment, the wind sounds like its singing one of the tribe songs and the fire is illustrating it. It was the story of Sky Creature’s arrival. 

 

The sun shines through the small slit in the tent door, children whispering outside make Jazz online. 

“Should we go in there?” one of the children says.

“The adults told us not to,” another says.

“What if he doesn’t have his armor on?”

“Ya munchkins can come in,” Jazz says and sits up on the pile of blankets. “’S’all right. Warmer in here than out there.”

One child peeks in and walks in slowly. Another follows slowly behind. Jazz sits on his bed of blankets smiling.

“See, nothing bad,” Jazz smiles as the other children come in. “What’s on the agenda today?”

“What’s an agenda?”

“What are we doing today?”

“The same thing we did yesterday.”

“Oh,” Jazz says. 

 

Jazz sighs as he pulls the blanket over his frame. It just kept getting colder and colder. The snow keeps falling and Sky Creature hasn’t come yet. Just how much longer until Snow Moon?

“Eight more days,” Jazz sighs and falls into recharge.


	26. Sky Creature's Arrival

Jazz walks toward the fire with the blankets wrapped around him. Snow falls lightly as he sits by the fire. 

“Is it just me or is it getting colder?” Jazz asks.

“Snow is in the air,” the chief says. “Sky Creature is coming.”

“Is it not cold to you? I’m freezin’ over here.”

“We are accustomed to the cold,” the chief smiles. 

“Well, I’m not. Got my internal heater up ta maximum and mah Energon lines are still freezin’”

“There are still three days until Snow Moon.”

“I’m gonna die before then!”

“You will not die from Sky Creature’s coldness, you are chosen by him.”

“Well, it don’t feel like it.”

 

The next day, Jazz moves his tent closer to the fire. Lying within the warmth, peaceful and warm, he doesn’t hear people yelling until something falls on his armor. He glances down, the tent is on fire. 

“I’m gonna die,” Jazz grumbles and subspaces the blankets. The tent is too far gone to save. Might as well soak up the warmth. The tent slowly burns away and the villagers look up at Jazz. “I’ll get ya a new tent next time I come.”

 

Jazz lies close to the fire, closer than he should but the temperature keeps dropping. If his external thermometer was anything to go by, it was negative twenty. 

Before Earth, cold never bothered them but now the Energon had just the right amount of water mixed in that could freeze them. 

Tomorrow was Snow Moon.

Tomorrow was probably going to be cold.

Tomorrow Sky Creature comes.

Tomorrow he might freeze.

He might not see tomorrow.


	27. Cold Hard Truth

Jazz shivers as the midnight hour comes, he checks the thermometer.

“G-g-gre-eat, it-tt-ts br-brok-ken,” Jazz chatters as ice continues to form on his armor, even a few feet away from the fire. ‘Wonder why I want to be close to someone so cold. Smokey never seemed cold. The only cold one is Prowl. He wouldn’t care for humans. He wouldn’t save the fishermen. He doesn’t care about anything except work.’

‘What if it is Prowl? Would you love him?’

‘I’m talking to mahself, great,’ Jazz sighs.

‘Would you?’

‘He wouldn’t care about me.’

‘Sky Creature loves you.’

‘Apparently not if I’m gonna freeze,’ Jazz sighs.

‘It might be a test.’

‘Test to see if I want to die?’

‘Test to see if you really care about him.’

‘Prowl?’

‘Sky Creature.’

‘Smokey?’

‘Smokescreen might not be Sky Creature.’

‘What do you know? Yer just me.’

‘Am I?’

Jazz frowns at that and feels something ghost over his shoulders. 

‘Do you love me? Without a doubt. Whether I am Smokescreen or Prowl?’

‘I . . . how are ya in mah head?’

‘I am wherever you need me.’

‘Well, if ya put it that way, I need ya to warm me up.’

‘Very well.’

Jazz feels the tingle through his Energon line before his core temperature rises. The ice melts off his frame and the fire becomes too much to stand so close. He moves away and the cold doesn’t touch him. 

“Sky” Jazz asks as he looks around. “Sky Creature?”

‘Yes.’

“Thank you.”


	28. Snow Moon

Snow Moon

Jazz watches the full moon, it was snow moon and Sky Creature hasn't shown up yet. He lies on the grass, the children sit beside him. Noise comes from the woods, the children jump up and run toward it.

"Sky Creature," the children cheer. Jazz watches as they run toward the shore. He stands and makes his way to the memorial. The Northern Lights dance across the sky as he makes his way through the forest. Blue light shines through the trees.

"This memorial will forever stand as long as you are here," a familiar voice comes from the mech, yet not so familiar to Jazz. Black armor as dark as the night sky, blue glyphs shimmer over the fluorescent-like white. Jazz stands shocked until the mech takes a step back.

"Prowl?" Jazz asks quietly, the mech jumps and ice blue optics shine bright.

"Jazz," Prowl starts to back away.

"You're Sky Creature?" Jazz steps closer to the black and white mech. 

"Yes," ice blue optics dim.

"I thought Smokescreen-"

"I know."

"Why didn't you-"

"I told you," Prowl looks away. "Primus kept me from you to begin with. I saw the way you acted toward Smokescreen. You love him. I survived before. I can't be loved."

"I . . . Prowl . . . I . . . I messed up didn't I?" Jazz sighs and steps up to Prowl.

"You were meant for him, he makes you happy. I can see the way you look at him. Thank you for allowing me to listen to your spark."

Prowl steps away from Jazz and starts toward the village. Jazz grabs his arm, blue optics meet blue visor.

"I love Sky Creature," Jazz frowns. "Whoever the mech is, I don't care."

"I'm as cold as ice," Prowl pulls his arm away. "I create blizzards. My spark is ice."

"Then let me thaw it," Jazz backs Prowl against the cliff wall.

"Smokescreen-"

"Doesn't matter any more," Jazz slides his servos to Prowl's shoulders.

"You don't mean it," Prowl slides away from Jazz. "Some new shiny mech will come along and you'll tire of me."

"My feelings never changed for Sky Creature," Jazz says. 

"I change my mind, I don't love you," Prowl pushes away from Jazz. Jazz falls on the ice, it breaks under him and he falls into the cold water. "Jazz!"

Prowl kneels at the opening, the ice starts closing over the hole. He holds up his ice covered servo. Reaching in the water, it freezes over immediately at his touch.

"Reaper!" Prowl screams, Soundwave materializes beside him. "Jazz is under the ice. Please."

Prowl backs away as Soundwave shoots at the ice. Jazz surfaces, gasping for warm air. Soundwave pulls Jazz out of the ice cold water and helps him to the village where the people bring out a blanket. Soundwave wraps it around the clattering frame.

"I didn't mean to . . ." Prowl shakes, snow starts falling around them. Ice blue optics shining bright in the dawn. 

"You need to calm yourself," Soundwave grabs Prowl's shoulders as Jazz lies on the ground shivering. "When you went into the water to save them, your energy took the cold and converted it to a useable form. You're in control of this."

Soundwave takes Prowl's white servos in his before pulling the smaller mech into a hug. Prowl takes in deep vents, the snow slows to a small dusting, Soundwave lets him go and kneels beside Jazz who is curled up into a ball. He pulls the small mech on his lap and rubs the blanket over the silver armor.


	29. Sparks of ice and fire

Jazz onlines on someone, audios not picking up a spark pulse. He onlines his visor to see silver plating.

“You do have a musical spark,” Soundwave says, Jazz tries to jump away but the arms around him hold him in place.

“Let me go,” Jazz pushes off of the mech. 

“Your frame still needs to warm,” Soundwave frowns as Jazz continues to squirm. 

“You want me deactivated,” Jazz frowns and gives up trying to get away. “Why are you doing this?”

“Allspark wanted me to,” Soundwave trails his finger over Jazz’s helm. 

“Right, aren’t you like Unicron to Primus?”

“Unicron is actually nice,” Soundwave smiles. “He doesn’t share his Energon treats though.”

“Okay,” Jazz looks at Soundwave before laying his helm on the silver chest. “Why don’t you have a spark?”

“I sacrificed it for Allspark,” Soundwave shifts under the smaller mech. Jazz notices the blue tint to the room around him. 

“Where are we?”

“There is a blizzard outside, Allspark can’t control it,” Soundwave sits with Jazz wrapped in the blanket. “He created a cave for your shelter. Do you want to be closer to the fire?”

“There’s a fire in an ice cave?” Jazz looks over and sees the large fire burning. 

“Allspark created it before the blizzard started.”

“Why does he create blizzards?” Jazz asks as Soundwave carries him over to the fire. “If he can make a fire then why can’t he stop a blizzard?”

“He landed here, in the winter. His frame took in the cold and converted it to usable energy. When he tried to save the fishermen, he couldn’t warm up. The cold is just his form of energy now. As the opposite of him, mine is heat. When you bond, you will be the heat.”

“You didn’t want me to bond,” Jazz looks away from the fire.

“I didn’t want you to bond to Smokescreen,” Soundwave says. 

“You and Prowl are bonded,” Jazz picks at the edge of the blanket. 

“No, Reaper and Allspark are bonded,” Soundwave rests his chin on Jazz’s helm. “I have no spark, Prowl’s spark is . . . complicated.”

“Why would you want me to bond to him if you love him?”

“I want him to be happy,” Soundwave frowns. “I will never be able to do anything but protect him. My spark is gone. It faded a few centuries ago.”

“But if Allspark’s spark is here, then yours is still here. Hot Rod and Springer said that bonds made the spark one.”

“Allspark’s original spark is not here,” Soundwave says. “Prowl’s spark is. Prowl and I were never bonded. They’re two separate sparks.”

“You are going to make his processor explode,” the cold, calculative voice says, Jazz jumps and looks over to the ice covered black and white mech. 

“You should come by the fire and—“

“No, I am fine here,” Prowl says at the doorway. 

“He’s afraid to come closer to the fire because he might make it go out,” Soundwave whispers in Jazz’s audio. 

“You didn’t mean to make me fall in the ice,” Jazz frowns at Prowl.

“Yes, I did, I pushed you, I froze the opening shut,” Prowl glares at the silver mech. 

“Why are you so mean?” Jazz tries to stand but Soundwave keeps him down. 

“He’s trying to push you away,” Soundwave whispers. “He does that often. It’s his way of keeping his emotions in control.”

Prowl glares at Soundwave before walking out the doorway. 

“He is trying to keep you from getting hurt. He wants to make you believe that he doesn’t want you anymore.”

“Does he?”

“Do you?”

“Want me? Yeah, I want me.”

“Do you want him?”

“He’s Sky Creature. He’s Shardie. Shardie danced with me. Sky Creature kissed me—“

“Anyone can kiss,” Soundwave tips Jazz’s helm back before pressing a soft kiss to Jazz’s lips. Jazz melts back on Soundwave’s frame. 

 

Prowl glares as he watches Soundwave kiss Jazz. Reaper was always getting in the way. He tried to kill Dawnblade. He threatened Starscream. He threatened Jazz. Now he was trying to steal Jazz. He will not get away this time. 

“Jazz, will be mine,” Prowl clenches his fist. Ice spikes rise out of the ground toward him and he jumps away. “Maybe after I learn to control my emotions.”


	30. The beginning

Jazz wraps the blanket around himself, Soundwave was in recharge which meant he could slip away. He takes a step off the berth and does just that. His pede slips on the ice, silver frame clattering against the iced ground, helm hitting the berth frame. 

“You might want to choose your steps more carefully,” Soundwave laughs from the berth. 

“Shut up,” Jazz rubs his helm and tries to stand but falls again. “Stupid ice.”

“Why don’t you try moving slower?” Soundwave asks. 

“Why don’t you be quiet or call Prowl in here to help me?” Jazz glares at the mech. 

“Prowl is currently moping,” Soundwave looks over at the room adjacent to the one they are in. 

“He’s in there?”

Soundwave nods and Jazz starts crawling over to the doorway. He starts laughing as Jazz falls flat on his chest a couple of times. 

“Determined little bugger,” Soundwave smirks and steps off the berth before disappearing. 

 

Jazz crawls to the edge of the doorway and peeks around the corner. Prowl sits on the berth facing away from the doorway. Doorwings low on his back. Jazz starts crawling toward the berth, stopping every time the doorwings twitch. One thing he learned about Smokescreen is that if you’re going to sneak up on a Praxian you better do it when their doorwings aren’t moving. 

Slowly Jazz makes his way to the berth and starts to pull himself up. He gets halfway up before his pedes slips out from under him and he slams his helm into Prowl’s back. Prowl jumps off the berth and stares at Jazz who tries to hold himself up by the berth. 

“A little help here?” Jazz asks as his pedes keep slipping. 

“What are you doing?” Prowl asks. 

“Trying to get on the berth without slamming my helm into anything anymore. It already hurt from the berth in the other room.”

Prowl starts to back away. Jazz pouts up at him. 

“Please,” Jazz pouts and claws at the berth. Prowl leans over the berth and pulls Jazz on it and backs away immediately. “So Soundwave says yer mopin’.”

“I am not moping,” Prowl glares at the smaller mech. “I am trying to control my emotions.”

“Well, yer not doin’ a good job at that,” Jazz looks around the room, ice spikes hang from the ceiling. “That’s dangerous.”

“Not to me.”

“Well I’m in here now and they are.”

“You shouldn’t have come.”

“I think you need to recharge,” Jazz opens his arms for Prowl. 

“What are you doing?”

“Waiting for you to come over here, come on,” Jazz smiles and Prowl crawls on the berth. Prowl lays his helm on Jazz’s chest. “What’s bothering you?”

“You.”

“Oh, what about me?”

“You like Reaper.”

“I like you.”

“Reaper kissed you and I know you liked it.”

“So, I like your kisses better,” Jazz rubs Prowl’s chevron. A purr comes from the black and white mech and water droplets pitter patter on their frames. Jazz smiles as Prowl tighten his arms around his waist. “See you’re alright.”

“You don’t like Reaper,” Prowl frowns and glances up at Jazz. “He’s part of me you know.”

“I like him as a friend,” Jazz looks down at the mech. 

“Oh,” Prowl lays his helm back down on Jazz’s chest. “Do you want to come paly with the children?”

“Yer not going to freeze me, are you?”

“I will not try to.”


	31. Snow Fun

Jazz walks outside with the blanket wrapped around him, Prowl walks farther ahead of him and the children run up to him. 

“Build a castle, build a castle,” the children jump around in the snow. Prowl kneels beside them and the snow starts shifting.

“You have to admit he is good with children,” someone says from behind Jazz. Jazz looks up to see Soundwave behind him. 

“What are you doing here?” Jazz asks. 

“Watching,” Soundwave says as Prowl creates a slide for the children. 

“Bigger, bigger!”

“It is quite big enough,” Prowl says and sets one child on the slide. The child squeals out all the way down. 

“Me next!”

“Jazz,” Prowl smiles over at the silver mech. “Come over here.”

“You will regret hurting him,” Soundwave says as Jazz starts walking over to Prowl. Something wet and cold hits Jazz’s back and he sees Soundwave holding a snowball. Soundwave throws the snowball at Jazz who ducks and the snow hits Prowl’s chest. Prowl looks down as the snow slides off his armor. 

“This means war,” Prowl says and the children start throwing snowballs at one another and the Cybertronians. Jazz runs behind the snow drift and the children follow him as he makes a wall. 

“You make the ammo, I’ll throw,” Jazz says and makes a snowball. He launches it, Prowl gets his in the shoulder by his and in the face by Soundwave’s. 

“You both cheat,” Prowl says and piles up snow to make a wall. Jazz throws a snowball that hits Prowl’s wing. “Hey!”

“Might want to hide them,” Jazz yells over his wall as a snowball flies over the wall and lands a few feet away. “Might want to throw a little softer!”

“Or I could do this,” Prowl smiles as he dumps an armful of snow on Jazz.

“No fair coming to my fort!” Jazz jumps away from the wall.


	32. The falling of the dome

Jazz onlines to something hitting his frame, the room around him starts melting and he jumps off the berth. 

“Prowl?” Jazz asks as he steps in puddles. He steps out of the melting ice building to see the villagers walking around doing their daily tasks. “Has anyone seen Sky Creature?”

“He left, did he not tell you?” one of the women says. 

“No,” Jazz mumbles and looks back at the large puddle. “I should probably leave too.”

Jazz transforms and drives back toward the base. Once he reaches the state border his comm. pings.

:Calling all Autobots, the Decepticons are attacking the dome,: Optimus Prime says, Jazz swerves and jumps the curb, heading immediately for the dome. He arrives to see the Decepticons firing on the dome, the veil shimmers as it is hit. The veil crumbles and the sapphire dome starts falling in pieces. Something hits his pede and he looks down to see a stone head with a sapphire visor. 

“Prowl,” Jazz calls and runs toward the dome, dodging the Decepticon fire. 

“Get the Allspark,” a Decepticon yells, one that looks like Megatron.

“No!” Jazz jumps over the fallen statues of seekers.

“Megatron!” Optimus Prime growls as he charges.

“I am no longer Megatron, Prime, I am Galvatron,” the mech says as Optimus Prime lunges for him. Galvatron hits him away and the Prime slides into the trees. “Grab him.”

A Decepticon tackles Jazz and he starts squirming. He doesn’t see Soundwave anywhere near the battle. 

“Bring him to me,” Galvatron smirks and the Decepticon pushes Jazz to his knees in front of Galvatron. “Surrender the Allspark for this pathetic Autobot’s life.”

“Don’t!” Jazz yells as the cannon powers up, aimed at his spark. The purple energy grows brighter as it finishes. 

“Lord Galvatron, think about the consequences,” Soundwave says. “What if this Autobot means nothing? Do you really think they would give up the Allspark for one spark?”

“You have to the count of three,” Galvatron growls. “One . . . two . . . three.”

In the split second, a black and white figure kneels in front of Jazz, Allspark blue optics looks up at the Decepticon. Red optics brighten as the energy leaves the cannon. 

“No!” Galvatron screams, pulling his arm back. Jazz screams as the black and white mech falls back to him. The seekers tremble where they stand as they watch Jazz move the limp mech away from the Decepticon. 

“No,” Jazz whispers as he cradles the body. The Decepticons retreat before the Autobots can start firing at them. “Prowl, Sky Creature.”

“Jazz,” Smokescreen kneels beside Jazz. “I guess you thought I was the Allspark.”

“You knew who he was?” Jazz asks.

“Praxians and Seekers came from him,” Smokescreen says and hugs Jazz. Soundwave stands frozen in place until the Autobots push him to the ground. 

“Hey! Let him go,” Jazz yells. “He’s not gonna hurt anyone.”

Ratchet kneels beside Jazz and Prowl. A scan washes over the black and white mech.

“His spark is gone,” Ratchet runs countless scans over the mech only to find the same thing.

“He never had a spark,” Starscream kneels beside Prowl. “Allspark, the threat is gone you may online now.”

The frame stays still.

“Allspark, Jazz is here, he knows who you are,” Starscream frowns.

“Prowl is the Allspark?” Optimus Prime asks. Starscream looks up at the red and blue mech. 

“Obviously,” Starscream shakes his helm. 

“Prowler, come back,” Jazz whispers. “I love you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Continuation of The Year Between


End file.
